Family vacations in the Caribbean come in many flavors, from lounging together on a tropical beach to group scuba diving lessons, visits to the ruins left by ancient cultures, or explorations of a rainforest. As there is a perfect vacation for every family and for everyone in the family, USA Today has compiled a list of the 11 best Caribbean destinations for families. Included on that list is the island of Jamaica.
The newspaper cited Jamaica’s culture, music, and laid-back atmosphere as reasons for families to visit. There is a wide choice of accommodations available on the island that range from all-inclusive resorts designed just for families to boutique beachfront venues that provide each family with its own private nanny. As the third-largest island in the Caribbean, Jamaica offers a lush environment that features tropical fruits, spices, jerk chicken, and other excellent food choices. The island also offers family adventures, including hiking in the Blue Mountains, zip line experiences, rafting on the Martha Brae River, and visiting waterfalls like the Dunn’s River Falls and YS Falls. Combining all this with Jamaica’s famously excellent beaches, including one of the best beaches in the world, Seven Mile Beach in Negril.
According to Donovan White, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Jamaica is the top destination searched for by international air passengers as determined by Global Distribution System (GDS) bookings, and the island expects to have 1.5 million visitors by December 31, 2021. A survey conducted on November 6-7, 2021 by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) found that Jamaica’s hotels are averaging occupancy rates of 65 percent for the 2021-2022 winter season, and data from the top five air travel and tour operators in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom that partner with Jamaica is showing excellent room-night booking rates, with November 2021 totaling 95 percent of the same period in 2019. Donovan added that visitors to Jamaica are staying longer and spending more money. The average length of stay has risen from 7.1 days to eight days, the per-person, per-day spending has grown from $169 to $180.
The other top Caribbean destinations for family vacations listed by USA Today include The British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Bonaire, Turks and Caicos, and Cancun and Playa del Carmen in Mexico.
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