Caribbean Journey participates in island study. When the tourist board of St. Kitts called last week I was happy to answer a few questions letting them know who I considered the target market of the island. Most of my clients that book St. Kitts are in the 40-60 age range and pick St. Kitts for its relaxation, peacefulness, and history. Most have been to the Caribbean before and want something “different”. The island does not appeal to the eco-adventure crowd or young singles looking for the nightlife. When the results of the study were released this week, I was pleased to see that I hit the target market dead on: “Results showed the majority of St. Kitts visitors fall into the affluent and desirable baby boomer category, ages 42 to 60, who possess more wealth than the U.S. national average and who have taken at least one prior trip to the Caribbean.” The tourist board will use this study to try and market to other demographics not currently frequenting the island.

ASTA offers tips for stress-free holiday trips. ASTA, The American Society of Travel Agents has launched their annual list of stress-free holiday travel tips. With the holidays right around the corner, a few extra steps taken in the planning process can result in a much more pleasant experience.

Most of us know someone with a chronic illness or in too fragile a state to travel to the Caribbean for fear of lack of access to quality health care. We have just joined forces with a company that will give peace of mind and allow people who might no normally make such a trip, to go ahead. MASA or Medical Air Services Association offers air ambulance to every Caribbean island. Traditional travel insurance usually does not cover the full evacuation cost of the patient and family members. MASA does. The service is pre-paid in the same fashion as traditional travel insurance.

Dominica is launching a new marketing campaign called “Defy the Everyday: The Nature Island of Dominica." The island is targeting the ever expanding active adventure market who often seeks destinations that offer spiritual and physical experiences in natural settings. To support this, almost every hotel in Dominica has added Yoga to their offerings of amenities. Dominica is home to 3 National Parks, one of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Caribbean is already seeing the negative effect of the new Passport Initiative that goes into place in January. 2007 high-season bookings are down from previous years. The effort to combat this was the hot topic at the 29th Caribbean Tourism Conference in the Bahamas. Jamaica has launched the “Join Me in Jamaica” Campaign; "We propose to set up a number of coffee stations in major commuter terminals in the U.S. where we will hand out coffee in Jamaican-branded cups and have onsite passport sign-up desks in collaboration with the U.S postal service," said the Minister of Tourism. Check back with CaribbeanJourney.com for locations!

Mr. Nicklaus has completed the first of 3 courses planned for the new Cap Cana development in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The first course, Punta Espada, is open now and the other 2 courses will be opening in the near future. The completion of all courses will swiftly make the Dom Rep the top Caribbean golf destination. Punta Espada is less than 20 minutes from the Punta Cana Airport.

Turks & Caicos wins top honors at the World Travel Awards! The island was host to the annual event, dubbed the Oscars of the Travel Industry but I don't think the role of host played a part in the two prestigious awards that were bestowed upon the island country. The Turks & Caicos won for "World's Best Beach" and "World's Best Island Destination". If you haven't already visited this island paradise and you are an all-about-the-beach person, then make the Turks your next stop! The water really is as clear as it appears in all the pictures and the sand is that white. Combined, both features make for unbelievable visibility and some of the top snorkeling and diving in the world! The island is host to only one all-inclusive, Beaches Turks & Caicos. This resort won for the Top Family All-inclusive Resort - it even includes Scuba Diving! If all-inclusives aren't of interest, the island has many fabulous villas. For the entire list of winners, visit the World Travel Award's website.

Bluefield's Bay Jamaica is a sleepy fishing village on the Southwest Coast of Jamaica. It is not home to any hotels just 5 of my favorite villas of all time. The Villas on Bluefields Bay are in a rare caliber of Jamaican villas, truly representing the bygone era when luxury was associated with the simple elegance of four poster beds, fine china and linens, not neon glitz and glam. The houses showcase one of the finest collections of museum quality Jamaican antiques. The deep rich mahogany used throughout the villas is unlike anything seen in most modern Jamaican villas. From the grand selection of books to the fine merit of cuisine, the experience is truly a labor of love. Not only do the owners pay homage to the authenticity of a fine Jamaican home, but the staff pays close attention to even the smallest detail of service. To most of the staff, this comes easily as they have been with the property for 10-20 years. And this is only the interior! Gazing out of doors, one can see that the exterior and expansive 2 acre seafront property offers just as much for the outdoor travel connoisseur.

Welcome! A new blog... how refreshing! I am Laura Sangster, owner/operator of CaribbeanJourney.com, a Caribbean Travel Company. I wanted a platform to post tips and news for my client and a blog seems the perfect option. I have one other blog all about Destination Weddings - a must read for any bride considering a wedding away. Thanks for stopping by and check back often! Cheers!