Will 2014 be the year Washington finally takes Cuba off the State Department list of “terrorist-supporting states” which also includes Iran, Sudan and Syria?
Last autumn, for the first time ever, the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association hosted its annual conference in South America.
Bermuda, a popular island destination only two hours by air from BWI Marshall International Airport, wants Americans to relax on its white-sand beaches, play golf on its carefully manicured golf courses and enjoy its elegant nightlife. Yet the island’s tourism industry remains stagnant, with little or no growth expected this year.
Economic difficulties in Europe and the ever-increasing air passenger duty (APD) imposed by Great Britain have combined to threaten the Barbados tourism industry.
Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport has officially opened its new terminal for domestic flights and international departures, marking the completion of a four-year, $409 million redevelopment of the largest airport in the Bahamas.
St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Dominica — three of the world’s smallest countries — are still in shock more than a month after a freak Christmas Eve storm ripped through the Eastern Caribbean, destroying crops, houses and livelihoods in its wake.
The Caribbean will enjoy steady growth in its all-important tourism sector as the U.S. economy continues its recovery, but serious issues — ranging from violent crime in some destinations like the Bahamas and Trinidad to the widely despised U.K. air passenger duty — could prevent the region from realizing its full potential in 2014.
Up to 40 percent of Cuba’s labor force is already working in the private sector, making the country a largely middle-class society and discrediting the notion that Fidel and Raúl Castro must die before real economic change can occur on the island.
Surprises abounded this fall when the 1,300-member Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association sponsored its first official mission to Cuba to learn about potential business opportunities there.
Caribbean markets are increasingly seeking investment opportunities in Colombia, showing particular interest in software, IT and business process outsourcing services as well as insurance and financial services, hotel infrastructure and construction materials.
The Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, a $150 million tourism/residential complex development named after its location on a 230-acre island by the same name a mile east from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, is attracting Puerto Rico’s well-to-do to is pristine waters and posh amenities.
Last year was a gloomy one for the U.S. Virgin Islands, with fewer cruise ships calling on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Yet 2013 is looking very good so far — particularly when it comes to air arrivals, which are at their highest levels since the mid-1990s.
The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau says arrivals to the Dutch-speaking destination jumped by 17 percent in 2012 compared to the year before — aided by JetBlue’s new direct service from Puerto Rico and weekly Delta flights from New York to St. Maarten.
The 32-island nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines will mark a milestone early next year, when Argyle International Airport opens for business.
The twin-island nation of St. Kitts & Nevis — one of the world’s smallest independent countries — will add some 1,000 upper-end hotel rooms to inventory during 2013, said Prime Minister Denzil Douglas.
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