Flying Regatta in Martinique

THE #Martinique Flying Regatta will take place from November 17 to 24, 2018. It will be the world’s signature international foiling event. The bay of Fort-de-France is the perfect location to run a race and showcase these hydro-foil sailboats that represent the technological future of competitive sailing. 

Inducted into the prestigious club of “The Most Beautiful Bays in the World,” the Fort-de-France Bay is particularly well suited for these #sailing boats, with is vast and protected 28 square miles (72km2) of maritime space. Wrapped in the island’s low 80's temperatures the bay’s steady, moderate winds and smooth seas will provide these speedsters with perfect conditions.

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More choices at Pierre & Vacances

PIERRE & VACANCES is offering a wider selection of affordable summer destinations in Europe and beyond, including Croatia, Italy, and Mauritius in addition to its existing properties in France, Spain, Portugal, Guadeloupe, and Martinique.

There are now 11 new residences in Croatia and Mauritius, six in Portugal, five in Italy, and one new holiday home in Spain.

Pierre & Vacances' accommodation in Croatia stretches along the Istrian coastline and surrounds Zadar on the Dalmatian Coast.

Since summer 2015, the agency has been expanding its range of accommodation and resort options in Italy. Destinations include Tuscany, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Lake Garda. 

www.pierreetvacances.co.uk

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Thomson gives pregnant women option to avoid Zika-hit countries

#THOMSON has offering pregnant women travelling to a number of countries hit by the #Zikavirus to amend their booking free of charge. It will offer free amendments to pregnant women due to travel on charter packages to Zika-infected countries before April 30. Women who have a doctor's note confirming their pregnancy can switch to another destination up to October 31 this year.

Its offer is available to women travelling to Mexico, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, Panama, Colombia, and Martinique.

The decision comes as the World Health Organisation announced it was setting up a Zika emergency team to fight the virus, which has been linked to thousands of babies being born with small brains in Brazil and has now spread to more than 20 countries in the region.

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Iceland leads …

BUDGET TRAVEL'S 2016 list of go-to holiday #destinations is led by #Iceland, which is followed by San Antonio in #Texas, Cuba, Los Angeles, Greece, Vietnam, Martinique, Galapagos Islands, Portugal, and Mexico's Isla Holbox. 

‘Our editors watch culture, cuisine, and hotel trends; monitor currency fluctuations, airfare, and room rates; and draw on their own experience and passion to deliver a list of 24 exciting destinations that can and should be on every traveller's list,’ says Robert Firpo-Cappiello at Budget Travel, which says:

• San Antonio's Spanish Colonial heritage has been recognized 
• Cuba is now open for business 
• Los Angeles is becoming a get around city which has some of America's greatest art collections, the most diverse cuisine anywhere in North America, and all of those famous movie locations 
• Greece is getting its vibe back 
• Vietnam has become south-east Asia's friendliest face 
• Martinique is now a three-day escape destination for Americans, with non-stop flights from the East Coast starting soon 
• Galapagos Islands are still 'evolving' in their accessibility, but they’re now within reach thanks to package tours 
• Portugal – once Western Europe's most-remote country – still has undiscovered charms 
• Isla Holbox is a part of Mexico's Yucatan many haven’t seen, but it’s under an hour north of Cancun.

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Up in the air . . .

NORWEGIAN is to start flights from Boston, Baltimore/Washington DC, and New York City to two Caribbean destinations: the Guadeloupe Islands and Martinique.

Norwegian’s seasonal service to the French West Indies will launch on December 3, with three flights a week from JFK to the Guadeloupe Islands’ Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It will fly from JFK to Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24315316@N06/4336731625">Mon Chat, Ma Femme..</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Capital maps

THE attractions in Martinique’s capital town, Fort-de-France, can be found on self-guided audio tour maps, available for rent from the town’s tourism office.

‘With these new maps, visitors from around the world are able to easily find and enjoy Fort-de-France’s attractions and charms without getting lost in translation,’ says Muriel Wiltord, Director Americas for The Martinique Promotion Bureau.

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Picture Credit: "Sunset in Martinique 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; "Fort de France 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Caribbean’s top five

RESONANCE CONSULTANCY has benchmarked the quality of Caribbean tourist destinations based on the ratings and reviews published by travellers on social media channels, combined with core statistics for factors such as crime and flight access.

‘Traditional measures of success – numbers of visitors and the spending they generate – don’t tell destination marketing and management organizations the whole story,’ says Chris Fair, president of Resonance Consultancy. ‘Looking through a supply-side lens helps destinations better understand their strengths from their visitors’ perspective, and identifies areas for improvement based on benchmarking against their competitors.’

Its report ranks Caribbean destinations in 12 areas, including accommodation, attractions and amusements, food, culture, and shopping. 

The top five Caribbean destinations with the most quality tourism products and experiences per visitor are:

1. Turks and Caicos

2. Barbados

3. Trinidad & Tobago

4. Martinique

5. Anguilla

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Picture Credit: 'Beaches - Turks and Caicos' by Captain-tucker (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons; "Revellers Wine at Trinidad Carnival" by Jean-Marc /Jo BeLo/Jhon-John from Caracas, Venezuela via Wikimedia Commons