Back in Business: Divi Little Bay Proves Successful Since Reopening in May On St. Maarten

Divi Little Bay one of several Divi Resorts receiving multi-million dollar renovations and upgrades.

ST. MAARTEN -- Things are looking up at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort on St. Maarten and at other resorts in the Divi family. It's been two months since the Divi Little Bay reopened and just ten months since Hurricane Irma blew through the island, causing widespread damage. Now the resort is open once again and welcoming back loyal guests, owners and members to a completely new St. Maarten experience.

"Refreshed rooms, updated restaurants and exciting new features are around every corner at the new Divi Little Bay," said Marco Galaverna, Divi Resorts President & COO. "We've gotten lots of positive feedback on the changes we've made so far and we're looking forward to finishing up even more later this year."

New amenities and features open now include: 

• - Units refreshed from top to bottom with all new lighting, furniture, window treatments, water-saving toilets, interior paint, shower doors, faucets, crown molding, baseboards, 49" LED TVs, laptop safes, bluetooth alarm/clock/radio, interior doors and hardware, patio doors, appliances, HVAC, in-room Wi-Fi, electrical devices and panels, solar water heaters, exterior lighting and repaired roofs
• - Updated Seabreeze Pool and new menus at Seabreeze Restaurant
• - Fort Amsterdam Cafe (formerly Bayview Cafe) has been transformed with gourmet coffee and a new menu
• - Updated Gizmo's Bar & Grill with an extended deck and new menu, including beach service
• - Newly reopened Aqua Mania water sports center
• - Indulgence by the Sea Spa
• - All on-site shops
• - Aqua Mania water sports center
• - Completely updated landscape throughout the entrance and resort
• - New Adirondack chairs and cabana beds added to the beach

Other features scheduled to reopen in the fall include: 

• - New eatery called The Shack featuring Caribbean BBQ, Jerk, Roti and more
• - Stunning new main pool, pureocean pool (formerly the Casitas Pool), which will be enlarged with a new pureocean pool bar, waterfalls and expansive pool seating area
• - Expanded pureocean Restaurant and pureocean terrace
• - Updated Infinity pool
• - New kid's space and game room

"The resort transformation from September until now is unbelievable and our guests have definitely taken notice," said Divi Little Bay's General Manager Anne-Marie Brooks. "We've been humbled by how many positive reviews and comments we've received about the changes. We truly can't wait until the entire resort is completed in the fall so guests can enjoy everything Divi Little Bay has to offer!"

Photos of the resort can be found on Divi Little Bay's Facebook Page or by visiting https://bit.ly/2KLbU11.

Divi Little Bay isn't the only resort with a new look. Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort on Aruba recently underwent a massive, multi-million dollar renovation, which included modernized suites, three beautifully redesigned pools, a stunning swim-up bar, a brand new check-in building and more. In addition, Divi Resorts in the progress of revamping Divi Southwinds Beach Resort on Barbados and Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort on Aruba with plans to finish up those projects soon.

Travelers wishing to visit one of Divi's stunning resort destinations can receive 30% off with Divi's High Tides & Good Vibes offer when booking between now and September 30, 2018 for all 2018 and 2019 travel dates. With rates as low as $155 per night room only and $178 per person, per night all-inclusive, and travel dates through the end of 2019, it's the perfect time to book. Plus, with Divi's Kids Stay & Eat Free Program* and exciting kid's activities, even the youngest travelers will have plenty to do, without the added cost.

Divi's High Tides & Good Vibes offer runs from now until September 30, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. ET, for all 2018 and 2019 travel dates. For reservations, book online at http://www.diviresorts.com/caribbean-promotion.htm or call 1-800-367-3484 (Toll-free US) or 1-919-419-3484 (International). For group reservations, please call 1-800-801-5550 or email groupsales@diviresorts.com.

*For more information on Divi's Stay & Eat Free Program or activities for kids please visit http://www.diviresorts.com/kids.htm. Parent or guardian must accompany children at all activities.

About Divi Resorts 
Divi Resorts is the vacation expert of the Caribbean, with a collection of eight premium resorts spanning the five stunning Caribbean islands of Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten. For more information on Divi Resorts, call 1-800-367-3484 or visit http://www.diviresorts.com.

St. Maarten-St. Martin Tourism Continues Steady Recovery With New Flights And Hotel Reopenings After Hurricanes Irma And Maria

St. Maarten-St. Martin

The tourism industry in St. Maarten-St. Martin continues to recover at a rapid pace as airlines add new service to The Friendly Island and hotels reopen following the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.

New Flights

American Airlines recently announced that it has increased seat capacity on their daily flight from Miami upgrading their Miami International Airport (MIA) – Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) route to a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 160 passengers. In addition, American Airlines will be adding a daily nonstop flight to St. Maarten from its hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) starting November 4th, 2018, as well as a second daily nonstop from Miami effective December 19th, 2018. Both new flights are currently bookable and will be operated by Airbus A319 aircraft with a capacity of 128 passengers.

Flights Already Resumed

American Airlines is the latest to announce new service to St. Maarten. St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) continues to report great progress in terms of improved connectivity as the year progresses. As of May 2018, two-thirds of all carriers that provided flights to and from the award-winning airport have resumed regular service. From the United States, travelers can fly to St. Maarten with United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines, and Seaborne Airlines. Service from Toronto is available on WestJet, and Dominican carrier Air Century, and Panama-based Copa Airlines have returned as well.

“Due to the collaborative efforts by all stakeholders and the community at large, St. Maarten has been able to make a quick turnaround,” said St. Maarten Minister of Tourism, Cornelius De Weever. “We are grateful to the return of all airlines and the reopening of our properties.”

“This shows the confidence American Airlines has in the comeback of St. Maarten/St. Martin, the public and private sector have been working continuously with American Airlines to ensure that the flights return in a balanced way complementing the re-opening of various accommodations,” added St. Maarten’s Interim Head of Tourism, May-Ling Chun.

Hotels & Activities

As of May 2018, there are just under 2,000 bookable rooms available across the entire island. 122 villas and condos are open for business island-wide, boutique hotels and guest houses are ready to accommodate travelers, and several larger properties have conducted soft openings in order to welcome back guests. Amongst the larger properties, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, Simpson Bay Resorts & Marina and Oyster Bay Beach Resort opened their doors. Many of these properties are currently offering promotional discounts for travel through the end of 2018. Additionally, Sonesta also announced projected openings for the Sonesta Ocean Point Resort and the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Spa scheduled for November 15, 2018 and February 1, 2019, respectively.

87% of all on-island activities are also available for guests to enjoy. Popular offerings at Aqua Mania Adventures, Flavors of St. Maarten, Rainforest Adventures, Lee’s Deep Sea Fishing, the Topper’s Rhum Distillery and more are open to visitors looking to experience fun and unforgettable times and do more than just relax on one of St. Maarten’s 37 stunning beaches. For those looking to get a taste of St. Maarten’s famous cuisine, the vast majority of restaurants on the Dutch side are open, especially along the Front Street, Boardwalk, Simpson Bay and Maho Stripes, providing travelers with a wide range of gastronomic options.