Return of 'Caribbean Week’ Tops Island News

Beaches Turks & Caicos

The Caribbean will again display its collective vacation attributes to New Yorkers and visitors to the Big Apple as the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) returns for Caribbean Week, June 1-8. The program includes the inaugural CAFE @ CTO, the launch of the Caribbean American Fashion Exchange at an elegant gala to benefit the CTO Foundation, the regional tourism development agency’s scholarship program.

Another major highlight this year is the Caribbean Romance Pavilion, introduced last year, where couples will have the opportunity to purchase a Caribbean wedding or honeymoon. The popular Caribbean Travel and Cultural Fair and Vacation Mart is also being planned this year and, for the first time ever, is scheduled to be held on a weekend (Saturday, June 7).

In other island developments: Beaches Resorts has announced the return of Single Parent Fun (SPF) Month for 2014. Single parent families who book a minimum three-night stay in any room category at Beaches Negril, Beaches Ocho Rios or Beaches Turks & Caicos from now through September 23 will be treated to a variety of special events and a waived single supplement fee. Travel must occur from September 1 to 30. Participating families will be invited as special guests in the weekly Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street Parade. 

Curacao has launched its Dare to Explore campaign. Now through June 1 clients can get savings of up to 50 percent off from hotels, dive operators, island attractions and more. In an unrelated move, the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, Curacao is offering a 35 percent discount on its All Inclusive Package from now through April 30.

Blue Residences, the first upscale condominium resort to open on Aruba’s Eagle Beach in 20 years, officially welcomed its first guests earlier this month. They stayed at the first tower, consisting of two five-bedroom and four three-bedroom penthouses, 12 three-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units. A second tower is scheduled to open in May, while the third tower will debut in January.

Seaborne Airlines has begun new non-stop daily service from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) to The Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten. This is now the 19th airport Seaborne has launched during its expansion throughout the Caribbean.

For details on these and other developments in the Caribbean, visit www.TravelAgentCentral.com.