The Caribbean destination became UNWTO’s newest Member State and eighth in the Caribbean region when its application was approved by the 24th Session of the General Assembly in December 2021. The Government appointed Dr. Dario Item, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain as its Permanent Representative to the UNWTO as well as its Head of Permanent Mission to the Organization.
UNWTO has launched the first in a series of tourism investment guidelines focused on a specific country. Developed alongside the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic and the national Export and Investment Center (PRODOMINICANA), the new guide provides key insights for investors, with the aim of boosting foreign direct investment in the Caribbean destination.
UNWTO and IE University continue to build on their shared commitment to nurturing tourism talent and promoting accessible education with the announcement of new scholarships to the UNWTO Online Academy. In line with the Organization’s focus on expanding access to training and skills development, and in close collaboration with IE University, the Government of the Dominican Republic will make 300 scholarships available to students from this leading tourism destination.
Marriott International, Inc. today announced it has signed an agreement with Cotton Bay Holdings to introduce a Ritz-Carlton Reserve on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. A highly personalized leisure experience that blends intuitive service with local design and stunning natural landscapes, the resort joins an exclusive collection of only five Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties around the world.
Last week, Meliá Hotels International, in joint venture with Falcon's Beyond Global, has announced extensive plans to build and develop a world-class theme park, Katmandu™, slated to open fall 2022 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and a premier entertainment, dining, and retail destination.
Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading, global hospitality company, announced today it has entered the Dominican Republic market and the all-inclusive resort segment with the Radisson Blu Resort & Residence Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The resort getaway is located along the stunning white-sand coastline of the famed "Coconut Coast" in the Cabeza de Toro district, just minut es away from Punta Cana International Airport, popular beaches, nightlife, and attractions.
Sandals Resorts International (SRI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and Florida International University's (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management to create the Gordon 'Butch' Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism. It will become the first institute of higher learning aimed exclusively at the study of hospitality and tourism in the Caribbean, where the industry is a main economic driver.
Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President WTTC said: “The thoughts of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and its Members are with those who have been affected by the terrible hurricane in Haiti which has taken so many lives, and devasted thousands of families.“We send our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of all those affected, and a message of sympathy to the Government.“WTTC and the global Travel & Tourism sector stand beside the people of Haiti and its government during this difficult time.”
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, today announces the addition of Bermuda’s Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa to its international collection of resorts, hotels, and conference centers. The 90-year-old resort becomes the first property the management group will operate in the British territory widely known for its pink sand beaches and turquoise waters.
Signaling the brand's ongoing confidence in the destination, Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the Caribbean's leading luxury all-inclusive resort company, will add three new hotels to its Jamaica roster.
Olympus Ventures, the family office of Richard M. Schulze, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy and one of the world's foremost entrepreneurs, has acquired ownership of The Resorts & Residences by CuisinArt, which encompasses CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and The Reef by CuisinArt.
Sandals Resorts International, the world's leading all-inclusive company, has officially unveiled the world's first-ever Swim-up Rondoval™ Suites and completely reimagined 112-room beachfront Dutch Village at its stunning Jamaican escape, Sandals South Coast. In addition to this exciting resort update, the all-inclusive leader is pleased to announce a second resort upgrade, as Sandals Royal Caribbean has officially revealed its beautifully renovated poolside rooms across its Caernarvon and Arundel buildings.
Archipelago International, Southeast Asia's largest privately owned and independent hotel operator, today announced that it has been awarded the management contracts for a further two hotels in Cuba. The first of these is the iconic Panorama Hotel in Havana. To be rebranded as the ASTON Panorama Hotel, the property, which first opened its doors in 2002, comprises 320 rooms and is best known for its impressive architectural design and superb location, facing the sea in the city's Miramar district.
We are humbled by the amount of support you have offered in the wake of Hurricane Dorian's destructive path over parts of The Bahamas. The initial images and information emerging from impacted islands tell a story of absolute devastation, particularly on Great Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands—where the hurricane's eye made landfall before slowing to a crawl, destroying lives, homes, businesses, and livelihoods. The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas is fortunate to not have been in its path.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the largest hotel franchise company in the world, shows great progress as it continues to expand its hotel portfolio, reaching the Caribbean for the first time through the Dominican development company "PROFUSION GROUP".
Ahead of World Oceans Day (June 8), Iberostar Group is opening a new land-based coral lab in the heart of the Caribbean. It will help protect essential ocean life from rising global temperatures in the future—and defend against a new fast-moving coral pandemic today.
Earlier this year, Mint Hotels & Residences debuted in the Dominican Republic with a selection of independent boutique properties.
Saira Hospitality has partnered with eCornell and Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration to bring a Service Excellence professional development program to local communities in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a region devastated by the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The partnership strives to help rebuild the tourism industry and has brought a sense of hope and empowerment to residents as they prepare to attain careers in the hospitality industry.
Jamaica has been selected to host the next Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) on November 14-15, 2019. Co-sponsors Apple Leisure Group (ALG) and AMResorts will provide the conference venue, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay and Secrets St. James Montego Bay. The event is expected to attract 300 attendees interested in hospitality development in the Caribbean.
The 2018 edition of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) concluded last week with energetic and renewed interest in the region, as well as optimism, as displayed by a notable presence of lenders and banks eager to meet with developers.