NEGRIL, Jamaica — Jamaica emerged as a major winner at the 33rd World Travel Awards Caribbean and The Americas Gala Ceremony, securing regional titles including the Caribbean’s Leading Destination, Leading Cruise Destination and Leading Cultural Destination.

The ceremony was held on Sunday, October 11, at Princess Grand Jamaica in Negril, where tourism destinations, hotels, airlines and travel businesses from across the Caribbean were recognised in the 2026 awards.

Jamaica’s wins extended across several areas of the tourism industry, including the Caribbean’s Leading Airport for Sangster International Airport, Leading Cruise Port for the Port of Ocho Rios, Leading Meetings and Conference Destination, and Leading Festival and Event Destination.

The island also claimed the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel title for Half Moon, Leading Resort for Princess Grand Jamaica, Leading Tourist Board for the Jamaica Tourist Board and Leading Tourist Attraction for the Rose Hall Great House Tour.

Other Jamaican properties and businesses recognised in the regional awards included Sandals Dunn’s River as the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort, Princess Senses The Mangrove as Leading Adult-Only All-Inclusive Resort, and GoldenEye as Leading Boutique Resort.

Saint Lucia secured several regional honours, including the Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, Leading Honeymoon Destination and Leading Luxury Resort for Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort.

The island also took the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Honeymoon Resort title for Jade Mountain Resort, while BodyHoliday was named Leading Retreat.

The Bahamas received recognition as the Caribbean’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination, while Nassau was named Leading Business Travel Destination. Anguilla won the Caribbean’s Leading Culinary Destination and Leading Luxury Island Destination titles.

St Vincent and the Grenadines was named the Caribbean’s Leading Green Destination, while Dominica received the title of Caribbean’s Leading Nature Destination.

Turks and Caicos Islands claimed the Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination and Most Romantic Destination titles. Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was named the Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort, while Beaches Turks and Caicos won Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort.

Other regional winners included Cayman Airways as the Caribbean’s Leading Airline and Caribbean Airlines as Leading Airline Brand. InterCaribbean Airways was named Leading Regional Airline.

Bonaire was recognised as the Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination, while Sandals Royal Curaçao took the Leading Dive Resort title. Antigua and Barbuda was named the Caribbean’s Leading Wedding Destination.

Trinidad and Tobago secured four country-level awards. Avis was named the country’s Leading Car Rental Company, Blue Haven Hotel took Leading Hotel, Island Experiences won Leading Tour Operator, and Amral’s Travel was recognised as Leading Travel Agency.

Tobago was separately recognised, with Coco Reef Resort and Spa named Tobago’s Leading Resort.

Across the wider region, individual country awards also recognised hotels, resorts, tour operators, travel agencies and other tourism businesses in destinations including Barbados, Grenada, Bermuda, Aruba, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Martinique, and the US Virgin Islands.

The awards covered a broad range of tourism sectors, from accommodation, aviation and cruise travel to adventure tourism, culinary experiences, nature-based tourism, weddings and business travel.

The 2026 results highlight the range of Caribbean destinations and businesses competing for recognition across the region’s tourism industry, with awards spanning both destination-level categories and individual tourism services.