By NAN Travel Editor
News Americas, Seattle, Wash., Weds. April 12, 2017: Demand for stays at luxury properties in at least six Caribbean countries have seen a spike according to The Expedia group, the world’s largest online travel agency.
The group is reporting that travel demand to for four and five-star rated properties throughout the Caribbean increased in 2016 when compared to 2015, by nearly 20 percent.
But the demand was especially high in six Caribbean destinations which featured longer booking windows and lengths of stays – 4.3 days) when compared to one to three-star hotels which saw an average booking window of 37 days out and an average length of stay of 3.2 days.
The six destinations are:
1: The Turks and Caicos: which saw a 35 percent growth in 2016 when compared to the previous year.
2: Jamaica: which saw a nearly 30 percent growth in 2016;
3: Aruba: which saw a nearly 20 percent demand in 2016;
4: The Dominican Republic: which saw a 15 percent increase in bookings to four and five-star rated properties;
5: The Bahamas: which saw a 10 percent demand for luxury stays. Paradise Island on the Bahamas saw the most demand.
6: Puerto Rico: which rounded out the top six with a 5 percent increase in luxury bookings in 2016.
Meanwhile, according to Expedia, the Caribbean’s luxury segment received a significant influx of Swiss travelers in 2016, who attributed to an increase of nearly 175 percent when compared to 2015.
“We’ve seen luxury travel continue to thrive throughout the world, including the Caribbean,” said Demetrius Canton, Director of Market Management for the Caribbean, the Expedia group. “Expedia works closely with hotel partners seeking to tap into new and growing markets, including the luxury segment, by utilizing the company’s innovative technology and global marketing strategies.”
