NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Martinique’s tourism development strategy took a major step forward with today’s announcement of the launch of new nonstop flights from three major gateways in the Northeastern United States – New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), and Baltimore/Washington, D.C. (BWI) – aboard Norwegian Air Shuttle. The new service, which begins December 3, 2015, represents the first time that Martinique has been directly accessible from the Northeast in more than 20 years.
Muriel Wiltord, Director Americas of the Martinique Promotion Bureau, commented on the new flights, saying: “The critical importance of the Northeastern U.S. market to tourism development in the Caribbean is well-known in our industry. In recent years, we’ve invested steadily in the market, progressively expanding demand for leisure travel to the French West Indies, while also leveraging key aviation industry events like Routes Americas to attract the interest of airline partners. These new flights from Norwegian represent a significant step forward in our overall U.S. development strategy, building upon our success in re-establishing nonstop flights from the U.S. via Miami in 2013 and the tremendous growth we’ve seen in the cruise sector since 2010.”
New nonstop flights from the Northeastern U.S. to Martinique via Norwegian will operate as follows:
- New York (JFK) – 3x’s weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
- Baltimore/Washington, D.C. (BWI) 2x’s weekly on Mondays and Fridays
- Boston (BOS) – 2x’s weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays
Recognized by SkyTrax (www.airlinequality.com) as the world’s Best Low-Cost Long-Haul Airline and Europe’s Best Low-Cost Airline for each of the past three years, Norwegian operates one of the world’s most modern and eco-friendly fleets. On its flights between the U.S. and Fort-de-France, the company will deploy Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 186 comfortable leather seats and the added convenience of free in-flight Wi-Fi service, a first among air carriers serving the Caribbean.
Special introductory fares on Norwegian flights to Martinique will be available for purchase as of June 26, 2015. For fares and more information, please visit www.norwegian.com.
New nonstop fights from the Northeast aboard Norwegian mark the latest in a series of air service developments making Martinique more accessible to U.S. travelers than ever before. Beginning June 5, 2015, American Airlines expanded its nonstop service from Miami to Martinique, growing from once weekly to four days per-week (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays). This service will expand to six weekly round-trip flights during July, August, and the peak winter season starting December 17, 2015, operating every day except Wednesday.
Connecting service is also available via San Juan on Seaborne Airlines (www.seaborneairlines.com), which operates on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Codeshare agreements between Seaborne and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Jetblue Airways, make bookings and baggage handling seamless across multiple leading carriers.
Martinique’s tourism industry is also seeing unprecedented growth in the cruise sector. The Isle of Flowers has experienced a 524% increase in cruise passenger arrivals since 2010. For the 2014-2015 cruise season, The Martinique Tourism Authority is projecting 220,000 cruise passengers among the 176 scheduled port calls. Additional growth is also expected in 2015-2016 as a record 22 ships are slated to make their first-ever port calls in Fort-de-France between October 26, 2015 and August 31, 2016.
For more information on travel to Martinique, please visit www.martinique.org. For the latest, up-to-date Martinique Promotion Bureau press kit, visit www.martiniquepresskit.com.
About Martinique (www.us.martinique.org)
The Caribbean Island with French Flair, The Isle of Flowers, The Rum Capital of the World, The Isle of the Famed Poet (Aimé Césaire) – Martinique ranks among the most alluring and enchanting destinations in the world. As an overseas region of France, Martinique boasts modern and reliable infrastructure – roads, water and power utilities, hospitals, and telecommunications services all on par with any other part of the European Union. At the same time, Martinique’s beautifully unspoiled beaches, volcanic peaks, rainforests, 80+ miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, streams, and other natural wonders are the equal of neighboring Dominica to the north and St. Lucia to the south, so visitors here truly get the best of both worlds.
The currency is the Euro, the flag is Le Tricolour, and the official language is French, but Martinique’s character, cuisine, musical heritage, art, culture, common language, and identity are of a distinctly Afro-Caribbean inclination known as Creole Martiniquais. It is this special combination of modern world conveniences, pristine nature, and rich heritage that has earned for Martinique several notable distinctions in recent years, including being named as a “Must-Visit” destination for 2015 by Caribbean Journal, “Best Caribbean Destination” by About.com, and “Top Caribbean Island for Delectable Dining” by Caribbean Travel + Life. The Bay of Fort-de-France, which fronts Martinique’s charming capital city, was also recently inducted into The Club of The Most Beautiful Bays in the World.
Martinique’s storied history further stirs travel passions. Napoleon’s bride, Empress Josephine, was born and raised in Martinique, while the majestic Mt. Pelée volcano and St. Pierre, The Pompeii of the Caribbean, are found here.
A special place, to be sure, with so much to offer – Martinique c’est magnifique!