Martinique was the runaway winner in the recent ”Best Caribbean Destination” poll conducted by About.com’s Caribbean Travel site. The Isle of Flowers was the preferred choice of 38% of the 3,800 voters, out-pacing second place finishers Dominica and St. Kitts & Nevis, each with 26% of the vote. Among the seven other finalists placing even further behind Martinique were such notables as Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Mexican Caribbean (Cancun, Cozumel, etc.), Costa Rica, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Maarten/St. Martin.
Muriel Wiltord, director Americas for the Martinique Promotion Bureau /CMT USA, commented on the survey results, stating: "This is a wonderful affirmation that our special brand of tourism product, characterized by intimate boutique hotels and emphasizing nature, a rich cultural heritage, romance, scuba diving and gastronomy is winning the hearts of U.S. travelers.”
The About.com honor is the latest in a recent string of accolades for Martinique. In November 2009, Caribbean World Magazine named Martinique “Best Gourmet Island of the Year” for a second consecutive year. This followed an impressive win by Martinique in an October 2009 Caribbean Travel + Life Magazine survey asking readers to name their favorite Caribbean destination for delectable dining. Martinique garnered 43.3% of the 807 votes cast over the course of the one-month survey period.