New developments put Dominica on the map

With new tour operator support, cruise ship interest, improved air access, and natural and cultural assets which are arguably among the most authentic and well preserved in the region, Dominica is emerging as ‘one to watch’ in the Caribbean. UK visitor numbers to the island rose 11.6% between 2005 and 2007, partly due to ‘Pirate Power’ (Dominica featured heavily as a location in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean II) and partly due to increasing attention from the travel trade as it becomes aware of the Nature Island’s plentiful attractions.

The latest developments below suggest even more visitors are set to discover Dominica in the future:

1. New flights improve air access for UK visitors

Travellers will be able to fly from the UK straight to Dominica’s capital Roseau in one day for the first time, with the introduction of new flights from Carib Aviation.

The new daily services, expected to begin on Monday 26th May 2008, will offer non-stop flights between St Lucia’s Hewanorra Airport (UVF) and Dominica’s Canefield Airport (DCF), which is situated just ten minutes north of Roseau.

The flight timetable has been designed to allow connections between the Carib Aviation service with long-haul flights from and to the UK. Adding to the convenience should be the expected pre-clearance by Dominica Immigration and Customs. An in-transit lounge for passengers connecting on to the Nature Island is also among the comforts of the new route.

Until now, the only same-day routes into Dominica from the UK have landed at Melville Hall airport, with Antigua the most convenient hub. Melville Hall lies in the northeast of Dominica and is around an hour and a half’s drive from Roseau, so the new flights from St Lucia make a convenient alternative for those visitors with accommodation in the south of the island.

Twin Otter aircraft will operate on the Hewanorra-Canefield route and tickets will shortly be available to book online at Carib-aviation.com.

2. Thomson cruise makes Dominica a port of call

The Thomson Destiny cruise liner will be making its first ever stop in Dominica on its Caribbean Gems cruise, featured within the Thomson Lifestyle Caribbean Cruises brochure.

The cruise takes in some of the lesser-known ‘pearls’ of the Caribbean and is aimed particularly at those travellers who may have visited the region before.

Thomson Destiny will dock in Roseau, Dominica’s capital, giving passengers a full day to experience nearby attractions including the numerous hiking trails, waterfalls, the Rainforest Aerial Tram, Wacky Rollers adventure park and scuba diving or snorkelling at some of the island’s top sites.

Thomson Destiny will set sail on its first Caribbean Gems cruise on 28th December 2008, with seven further departures scheduled until April 2009.

See thomson.co.uk.

3. MotMot Travel releases dedicated Dominica brochure

Alternative Caribbean travel specialist MotMot Travel has released a dedicated Dominica brochure offering customised nature and adventure tours of the island.

Suggested itineraries within the Dominica brochure include the Independent Explorer, the Nature Tour, the Adventure Tour and The Dominica Dive Tour – plus Island Hopping itineraries offering twin centre holidays to Dominica and Barbados, Antigua or St Lucia.

A three-night stay in Dominica is also included in MotMot’s Lesser Antilles Birdwatching Tour, which aims to track down the 36 endemic bird species of the region including Dominica’s Sisserou (Amazona imperialis) and red-necked Jaco (Amazona arausiaca) parrots.

MotMot features a range of three and four star hotels and guesthouses in Dominica including boutique hotel Beau Rive; eco-guesthouse Papillote Wilderness Retreat (shortlisted for the 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards); and larger properties such as Fort Young Hotel in Roseau and Jungle Bay Resort & Spa in the southeast of the island.

Guideline prices for MotMot’s Dominica itineraries start from £725 per person for the ten-night Dominica Dive Tour, excluding flights but including eight days of diving plus all transfers.

See MotMotTravel.com.

4. Ramblers Worldwide Holidays offers walking holidays in Dominica

Dominica’s outstanding trails and natural attractions for hikers have also been recognised by Ramblers Worldwide Holidays.

The tour operator, which received the silver award for Top Tour Operator in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2008, is launching a new tour to Dominica with the first departure on 1st April 2009.

Named Walking in Dominica, the trip will spend ten days in Dominica after two initial nights in Antigua. Accommodation will be split between the north and the south in order to give walkers the chance to explore all areas of the lush island. Hikes on the itinerary will include those in the sulphur spring-rich Roseau Valley and the full day trek to the Boiling Lake through the Valley of Desolation, whilst visitors can also enjoy swimming in the Emerald Pool, exploring the Carib Territory and taking a boat trip down Indian River.

Ramblers Worldwide’s Walking in Dominica tour costs £1,699 per person based on twin share and including return flights from London.

For more information, see Ramblersholidays.co.uk.