From resuming lift to complimentary PCR testing, here's the latest news from the Caribbean
In celebration of lift service resuming and eased travel restrictions from Canada, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa and Serenity at Coconut Bay are taking a load off Canadian travellers heading to Saint Lucia. For all guests staying a minimum of seven nights, the resorts are covering the cost of onsite PCR testing needed for entry back into Canada, a value of $150 per person, as of Nov. 21.
“This is fabulous news for Canadian guests as we are one of the only hotels on the island to include the PCR test, which amounts to a savings of US$300 per couple or US$600 for a family of four,” says Suzanne Fleming, Business Development Manager, Canada, for Coconut Bay and Serenity.
Air Canada officially resumed service to Grenada on Oct. 31. The airline offers twice weekly flights from Toronto on Sundays and Wednesdays.
“Canadians are eager to travel and we anticipate that there will be a surge in international trips during the winter period, particularly to warm weather destinations,” says Grenada Tourism Authority CEO, Petra Roach. “We therefore need to be visible in the marketplace to take advantage of this pent-up demand and position Grenada as the ideal destination for Canadians seeking an escape from frigid temperatures to holiday in an authentic destination.”
In 2019, Grenada welcomed a total of 17,911 Canadians.
WestJet is set to restore service and connectivity to more than 95 destinations both domestically and internationally as of December.
“As Canadians’ confidence in travel grows, the return of service to 95 destinations marks a major milestone in rebuilding our network to pre-pandemic levels,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “We have our sights set on restoring our global network to reach more than 100 destinations and continue to focus on alleviating the current travel barriers in place for our guests.”
Weekly Toronto to Grand Cayman service takes off on Dec. 16; twice weekly Toronto to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago service kicks off Dec. 17; weekly Toronto to San Juan, Puerto Rico service resumes on Dec. 18 and weekly Toronto to Roatan service gears up on Dec. 19. From Calgary, weekly service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is set to begin Dec. 18.
Air Canada service to Martinique takes off
Air Canada service to Martinique is back with service from Montreal on board a Boeing-737 aircraft with 169 seats.
“We are delighted to come back to Martinique,” stated Alexandre Lefèvre, Senior Director Network Planning at Air Canada. “This proves how much Martinique and the whole French West Indies are important for us at Air Canada, as we have established strong relationships in the region for over 45 years now. As much as Martinique is a popular sun destination for Quebecers… This strategic route will be operated up to five times a week on a new generation Boeing-737 aircraft.”