Apple Vacations has lots on the burner this winter in both the Caribbean and Latin America.
The operator's 2011 Caribbean schedule calls for more than 1,000 charter flights into Jamaica and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, as well as new scheduled service to both destinations from Milwaukee on AirTran and from Lansing, Mich., and Minneapolis on Sun County.
"We are planning for significant growth in the Caribbean in 2011," said Tim Mullen, senior vice president. "We're creating demand to the Caribbean through consistent and innovative consumer promotions and agent incentives."
Top growth destinations are Montego Bay and Punta Cana, both showing a bookings increase of more than 25% to date, year over year, according to Mullen.
Apple's gateways this winter on charters and scheduled flights to Montego Bay and Punta Cana include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
Apple works with more than 200 hotels in the region on 15 islands, including five destinations in the Dominican Republic (Cap Cana, Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo).
Hotels added since last winter include the two Secrets resorts that opened in April in Montego Bay, Secrets St. James and Secrets Wild Orchid, as well as Secrets Sanctuary in Cap Cana and the Zoetry Agua Punta Cana.
Apple recently unveiled a bonus commission program for its adults-only, all-inclusive properties in Jamaica on bookings of four or more nights.
The $200 bonus commission offer applies to charter air, scheduled air and land-only packages booked by Sept. 30 for travel through Dec. 11.
Sandy Babin, vice president of marketing, said that Apple's "strong partnerships in Jamaica, especially in the adults-only luxury niche, have ignited consumer interest in Jamaica."
Apple Vacations also will launch a weekly charter program to Liberia, Costa Rica, from Chicago O'Hare on USA 3000 from Jan. 14 to April 22.
The operator offers a year-round, scheduled air program from several U.S. gateways into Liberia and plans to ramp up flights and gateways this winter, as well.
Coinciding with the charter launch will be a seven-night fly/drive program, priced from $1,299 per person, including roundtrip air, rental of a four-wheel-drive vehicle, hotel for seven nights and several meals.
Clients who want to base themselves in the Guanacaste region along the Pacific coast can choose from among several seven-night, air-and-land packages.
The Riu Guanacaste program is priced from $1,499.99 per person with roundtrip air, accommodations, transfers, and all meals and drinks.
Additional hotels featured include Occidental, Barcelo, Paradisus, Hilton and Marriott.
Charter passengers get a break on rates on one-day tours booked by Sept. 30.
Offerings include the Arenal volcano and rain forest walk, at $112 per person, and the Buena Vista package, which features a canopy tour, water slides, hot springs and a mud bath, at $116 per person.
There also are several three- and four-night escorted tours to the Arenal and Monteverde areas that can be combined with a Guanacaste beach hotel stay at the end.
Apple also serves San Jose and has added 13 hotels to its package offerings in Costa Rica.
In addition, the company plans to launch Panama as a new destination in September with a series of air-and-land packages.