Brand new $1billion airport to open on pretty Caribbean island – making it much easier for Brits to visit

AN often overlooked Caribbean island is currently building a brand new international airport - making it much easier to visit.

Dominica, different from the Dominican Republic, is less-visited than other nearby Caribbean islands such as St Lucia.

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However, the island is currently working on a XCD$1billion (£292million) new airport to welcome international flights.

For Brits to currently visit the island, there are no direct flights.

The best way to travel is with British Airways, flying to St Lucia before changing to Dominica.

And flights can take as long as 15 hours.

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The current airport on the island is Douglas-Charles Airport which has just three gates with around 60,000 passengers a year, mainly domestic.

CEO of the International Airport Development Company (IADC) Samuel Johnson previously told Skift: "You can have the best attractions, the best hotels. and the best brands, but if it’s difficult to get to the island, it adds that much more friction to the journey of a visitor.

"And we’re an island in a chain of islands, so they could as easily land in any of our sister islands which are easier instead of ours.

"We definitely think it’s going to improve several aspects of the country.”

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The new airport, first announced in 2020, hopes to open by 2026 with 20 airlines across the Caribbean, Europe and the US as Dominica's first international airport.

Routes suggested include to London and Paris, as well as New York, Miami, Atlanta, Toronto and Charlotte, as well as other Caribbean islands.

While the airlines are yet to be revealed, it could include direct routes from larger airports such as London Heathrow.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit confirmed back in December that work has "advanced rapidly" in the past few months.

He told local media: "Mobilization works advanced in earnest with the arrival of the shipment of construction equipment earlier this year."

"We are now entering a phase where you can begin to see focus on runway development with work commencing on the primary runway which will be utilized for both takeoff and landing."

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Dominica, also known as the nature island, has its own amazing beaches and mountain treks.

Batibou Beach is considered one of the best, with palm trees lining the shores and clear water to snorkel in.

It is also one of the top diving places in the world, and tourists can even swim with whales.

You can also go on nature treks, seeing waterfalls as high as 200ft in the rainforest.

There is also the Trafalgar Falls, with two side-by-side measuring 125ft and 75ft.

If you're planning a visit, your passport must have at least six months left on it, with tourists given a six-months allowance to stay on arrival.

And the fanciest hotels are both InterContinental or Secret Bay, both five-star resorts.

Otherwise cheaper hotels and B&Bs start from just £51 a night.

In the mean time, if you're on a budget, you can visit the Dominican Republic which has been named one of the cheapest in the Caribbean.

The Sun's Andy Robinson recently visited the Caribbean island of Jamaica, following new low-cost flights from London Gatwick to Montego Bay.

He revealed the 10 reasons to visit the island, including sunset horseback rides and river rafting.

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