TORONTO — Martinique is a small gem of an island with a lot of big announcements for the coming winter season.

The biggest news is that, for the very first time, there will be a weekly, direct nonstop flight from Toronto to Martinique (FDF) with Air Canada. The new service starts Dec. 16.

Plus, Club Med Les Boucaniers (Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek) is reopening in November 2023. And MSC Cruises’ MSC Seaside will be sailing from Martinique this winter.

Martinique’s Tourism Commissioner, Benedicte di Geronimo, shared all the news at ‘Martinique Sensation’, an industry event last night at Hotel X Toronto.

The evening included a workshop with hoteliers and other tourism stakeholders, followed by a cocktail reception. There were prize giveaways too.

Travelweek connected with Bruno Brival, CEO, Martinique Tourism Authority, ahead of ‘Martinique Sensation’, to talk about more updates from the island…

Travelweek: How is Martinique performing from the Canadian market?  

Brival: “From January to August, Martinique saw a 4.3% increase in visitors (420,000 visitors), from all markets. More figures on visitors are coming soon.”

Travelweek: The new nonstop flight with Air Canada from Toronto is great news for travel agents and their clients. Are there any other flights to Martinique operating from Canada for the coming winter, and with what airlines?”

Brival: “Yes. Air Canada all year-round, up to five flights per week, from Montreal to Fort-de-France (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday), and Air Transat with a seasonal flight, up to three per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), from Nov. 4 to May 30, 2024.”
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Travelweek: What tour operators are selling Martinique this winter?

Brival: “Various travel agencies sell Martinique as well as Air Canada Vacations and Air Transat.”

Travelweek: The Caribbean is an incredibly varied destination, with islands for all sorts of different travel segments. Who does Martinique appeal to in particular? 

Brival: “The primary motivation for visitors coming to Martinique is for a beach destination, but we have a lot of attractions beyond beaches. We have hiking, green tourism (forests, rivers, etc.), memorial tourism with our many museums, and gastronomic tourism with rum and incredible creole cuisine. Martinique is just as suitable for those who want to relax during all their stay, and a perfect destination for sports too, as it is for families (activities are accessible to children).”
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Travelweek: What’s new in Martinique that agents should know about? 

Brival: “New Michelin-starred establishments (Sable Bleu, Résidence Kaouanne), and lots of renovations (La Pagerie, La Panoramic, Club Med undergoing major renovations). There’s also the Martinique Trail Tour: 19 trails with different themes, ultra trail, sports and tourism, with a wide range of levels, from beginner to expert. These trails are an opportunity to discover places that are usually inaccessible. Many Martinicans rediscover their country this way.”

For more details about travel to Martinique see https://us.martinique.org/.