This fabled sea, covering more than a million square miles and 7,000 islands with diverse languages, cultures, and ecosystems, has become probably the planet's premier vacation playground. Here it's all about its regional issues and allures. And yes, the (Plus) means we're including the Bahamas and Bermuda!

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3 of the Caribbean´s best Sandals resorts for honeymoons

  Sandals Grande St. Lucian Based in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the famous Caribbean resort chain founded in 1981 by legendary Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart was instrumental in pioneering the "all-inclusive" concept - paying one (usually very attractive) rate to cover all food and drink as well as many activities and amenities, in addition to just a room. Sandals properties now number 18 on eight islands, and they´re especially popular with (and indeed, marketed to) couples and…

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Martinique, c´est magnifique!

  David Stanley One of the four islands of the Antilles Françaises, with around 370,000 inhabitants, Martinique was settled by the French beginning in 1635 and today is an overseas département (meaning an integral part) of France. It’s packed with a vibrant blend of French and West Indian cultures; stunning landscapes, nature, and beaches; rich historical sites; fantastic rum; and a chill, laid back vibe. I visited here around 15 years ago and still remember it fondly and fairly vividly.…

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Wastin´ away again at the Dominican Republic´s Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana

    Set along a stretch of pure white-sand beach in Cap Cana, an exclusive enclave of the DR´s most popular resort area Punta Cana - and just 15 minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport -  five-star all-inclusive property Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana., which opened a little over three years ago is one of just eight Cap Cana resorts. On our visit, my husband and I found its “no worries,” tropical vibe spoke to me the moment we pulled up to the hotel entrance adorned with a…

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A quick peek at the best of Bonaire

 Matt KiefferOne of the “ABC” islands* of the Dutch Antilles, just 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela, this 111-square-mile island is a welcoming and tranquil trove of eco-adventure (which they play up with the tourism tagline “It´s in Our Nature”), and it´s known especially for its diving and snorkeling. For a nice, laid-back slice of the old Caribbean (albeit a pretty arid one, so please don´t go expecting luxuriant greenery), many travelers in the know very much appreciate this…

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  • I'm afraid I agree with NN. We know, sadly, how deficient most Americans are geographically (many studies bear this out, wherein schoolkids often can't even identify their own state on a map). The Caribbean is viewed as a monolithic entity. Hence, the concern among all member nations and the rush by individual Jamaican resort areas like MoBay and Negril to distinguish themselves. Unfortunately, Patricia, most tourists don't know the difference between various parts of Jamaica, especially if they've never been there.... Allan Chastanet was quoted not so much because he's the St. Lucian Minister of Tourism but as former CTO CEO. He's been a major player regarding tourism for the entire region for years (including stints as Marketing Director for Island Outpost and Air Jamaica---another reason the Observer would seek him out for perspective).

    We all know the differences from one island to the next, historically, topographically, culturally, linguistically, gastronomically, etc. It's never been easy conveying the Caribbean's heterogeneity to our readers. Now in these times when outlets want 47-word Twitter-esque write-ups (that fit on a typical cell phone screen), it's well-nigh impossible.

    And while the Caribbean nations try to cooperate on larger PR initiatives, they remain competitors, so don't be surprised to see some islands subtly capitalize on the Kingston problem, just as they did after Natalie Holloway's disappearance on Aruba (which impacted overall tourism to the region!)---or just as the ABC Islands take pains to point out that they don't suffer major weather events, the promotional equivalent of hitting below the hurricane belt.
  • As someone who has specialized in bailing clients out of touchy p.r. situations, I'm not a bit surprised by this. The public lumps different states/provinces together (if there's trouble in Mexico's border towns, you can be sure the public will fear Cancun) and sometimes even entire continents (as in all Africa has civil conflicts, all western Europe except the UK ratted out on us after 9/11, etc.). Are we certain that most Americans can distinguish among different areas in Jamaica -- let alone the Caribbean? Anyway, I like your saying "Maybe some StL PR folks can shed light on it ..." That'd be interesting.
  • It does seem odd.. Maybe some StL PR folks can shed light on it ...
  • Makes sense to me, Patricia. It's just that what I found notable was that it was St. Lucia's tourism minister saying this.
  • Having just returned from Jamaica I can say that the entire country is shaken and hyper-sensitive about what's happened there, and of course deeply concerned about the impact on tourism. My view is that the Observer article is a reflection of this national sensitivity rather than an accurate market forecast. Already marketers and editors are at work promoting the gated resort meccas of Mo Bay and Negril located away from Kingston. (Personally I think the country has far better to offer but that's another subject.) If people are able to distinguish between Kingston and other destinations 3 hours distant, shouldn't they be able to distinguish btw Kingston and USVI, Stl. Lucia, etc?
  • Just came across this from the Jamaica Observer about the impact the bad stuff going down in Kingston on tourism across the Caribbean. Do you agree with this assessment?

    "Jamaica unrest said creating problem for regional tourism

    LAST week's deadly unrest in Jamaica's capital of Kingston has created a major public relations crisis for the Caribbean, St Lucia's Tourism Minister Allan Chastanet has said.

    Chastanet, a former chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the region's tourism product is suffering from the television pictures of burning buildings, soldiers engaging gunmen in street battles and coffins containing bodies being splashed across the globe.

    He said when visitors speak of coming to the Caribbean for a vacation, Jamaica is among the first countries that come to mind.

    Chastanet said tourists view the Caribbean as a group of countries that are connected and 'there are some people that are not able to differentiate one island from another'."
  • Tony,
    Could you take a look at a collaboration that we are doing with Cap Maison on St. Lucia? If so I'll forward over the details and press release..
    Steve
  • Thanks for the shoutout. In fact it's a companion piece of sorts to a post I did a couple of weeks ago: http://travel.aol.com/travel-ideas/galleries/direct-flight-caribbea...

    Allie, I wish I could, too, but the word-count restrictions are intense -- and while my editors do a fine job, inevitably some details, factual to evocative, are lost in the cutting and rearranging....
  • Jordan Simon writes well and seems to know these islands well, but I wish he had included names and phone numbers for the hotels.
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