Two Caribbean destinations are reporting increased strong visitor arrivals for 2018, surmounting significant hurdles created by September 2017’s crippling hurricanes. Beyond their improved 2018 traveler numbers, the resurgent islands are additionally poised to achieve continued growth as the Caribbean embarks on the winter season, traditionally the region’s busiest calendar period.Earlier this month the Cayman Islands and Grenada became the first Caribbean countries to post detailed 2018 visitor arrival figures, with both nations reporting double-digit visitor growth. Tourism authorities in the British Virgin Islands and Saint Lucia also recently issued data indicating increased 2018 arrivals.MORE Destination & Tourism The improved visitor totals in the Cayman Islands and Grenada are another indication travelers are returning to Caribbean destinations following the daunting hurdles the region faced in the months following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In October Virtuoso reported a 22 percent year-over-year in winter 2018/2019 Caribbean bookings, while American Airlines and Jet Blue Airways announced expanded Caribbean service in late 2018.While 20 percent of the 34 Caribbean destinations reporting data to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) suffered significant damage from the 2017 storms (with Anguilla, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten and the U.S. Virgin Islands most heavily impacted), other regional destinations, while relatively unscathed, also experienced visitor declines as many consumers chose to vacation outside of the region altogether.Cayman IslandsThe Cayman Islands hosted 410,984 overnight, land-based visitors in the first 11 months of 2018, said Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) officials in a statement. The total represents an 11.26 percent increase over the 418,403 visitors hosted in the same period in 2017. The figure is also the most overnight visitors in Cayman Islands history.“The strategic efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Department of Tourism must be continued, to ensure our islands take a holistic approach at addressing the needs of every visitor that graces our shore,” said Moses Kirkconnell, deputy premier and minister for tourism. “I look forward to ending the year with record-breaking arrivals and continuing this momentum through 2019.”The destination’s visitor growth was particularly strong in November 2018, driven by surging U.S. arrivals. American visitors increased by 10.43 percent in November with the Southeast U.S. particularly productive, representing 19.44 percent year-over-year growth in 2018.CIDOT officials attributed the increase in part to the addition of daily JetBlue service from Fort Lauderdale beginning in October. The Northeast region increased by 6.42 percent, complemented by flight capacity increases from JetBlue and national carrier Cayman Airways.Grenada PHOTO: St. George's Harbor, Grenada (photo by Brian Major) The southern Caribbean island known as the “Spice of the Caribbean” was a hot travel destination in 2018 as the country’s combined cruise, yacht and overnight, land-based arrivals totaled 528,077 visitors, a 12.9 percent increase over 2017.Canada recorded the highest growth in 2018 with a 19.1 percent increase, followed by the United States with 12.38 percent; the U.S. remained Grenada’s number one arrivals source, with 46.9 percent of visitors in 2018, followed by the United Kingdom.“Achieving 500,000 arrivals has been a landmark goal for the destination of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” said Clarice Modeste Curwen, Grenada’s minister for tourism and civil aviation. “It is a testament to the growing island’s influence in the marketplace and industry growth.”The improved tourist arrivals are “a result of our hard work in lobbying airlines for more flights and the engagement of top cruise brand executives for more ship calls,” added Patricia Maher, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA)’s chief executive officer. GTA officials attribute the destination’s robust visitor growth in part to an expanding hotel and resort base, including the $125 million, 104-room Silversands Grenada luxury resort, which opened in November.Other Destinations PHOTO: Marina, British Virgin Islands. (Courtesy British Virgin Islands Tourism Board.) One of the destinations most heavily impacted by the September 2017 storms, the British Virgin Islands expects more than 200 port calls and 400,000 passengers in the 2018/2019 season, said Sharon Flax-Brutus, director of tourism, British Virgin Islands Tourism Board & Film Commission.“It’s been quite a year, but we are extremely pleased that so many of the British Virgin Islands’ premier resorts and hotels are now open for business,” said Sharon Flax-Brutus, Director of Tourism, British Virgin Islands Tourism Board & Film Commission. “It is exciting to see that owners took advantage of this time to rebuild, enhancing and expanding their products to exceed our new and loyal visitors’ every expectation.”Travelers to the destination are also increasingly opting for alternative accommodations. In December the B.V.I. government signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with home-stay provider Airbnb to “drive local, authentic, and sustainable tourism to the islands,” said Airbnb officials.Meanwhile, Saint Lucia achieved “significant progress including increasing trade business, airlift and cruise calls,” in 2018 said Tiffany Howard, acting CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, in a January 2 Instagram post. The Caribbean nation also experienced “growth in room occupancy levels, stay-over arrivals [and] visitor spend,” Howard said.Saint Lucia is poised to further increase its visitor access as the government is planning the redevelopment of Hewanorra International Airport. Saint Lucia has “exhausted” its current capacity said Dominic Fedee, Saint Lucia’s tourism minister. Construction of the airport is scheduled to begin in 2019 with full operations expected to commence by the end of 2020.