Summer is here, and it’s time for vacation. Q3 is as important as the rest of them, but for many software sales professionals, it’s the last chance of the year to take a break before the most critical quarter of the year (Q4).

Going anywhere special this year? How about the Caribbean?

The four most popular Caribbean destinations are the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the Bahamas—visited by a combined 9 million tourists in 2021. Wow! To put those numbers in perspective, only 11 states have populations beyond that number.

While the Covid Pandemic changed some features of the travel landscape, things seem mostly back to normal…meaning these islands are busy.

But what if you want to enjoy a summer vacay in a more relaxing, exclusive location? Check out these 4 Caribbean islands. You may recognize their names, but odds are they may have flown under your radar…until now.

Martinique

Martinique sees about 300,000 tourists per year, which is roughly the size of its population. This overseas French territory is home to an interesting blend of African, European, and even Indian cultures. These diverse influences play out in its Creole cuisine, including Colombo de Martinique: a lamb stew of coconut, ginger, and Colombo spices (this last ingredient has its origins in Sri Lanka, but always contains some mix of coriander, chiles, garlic, and turmeric).

Fort-de-France is a town of steep hills and narrow streets, many of which are colorful colonial buildings. Outside of town, tourists will find that Martinique’s volcanic soil has created a spectrum of beach sand colors ranging from white to gold to pink to grey and even black. One of Martinique’s more scenic beaches is the Plage des Salines, a remote tree-lined strip of sand.

Turks and Caicos

This British overseas territory gets about 400,000 tourists per year and is a world-class snorkeling and scuba destination. Among its 40 islands, there are 340 miles of barrier reefs. These barrier reefs have created the sparkling white sand beaches for which the islands are famous. Two standout sites for aquatic exploration are a 14-mile-long barrier reef off Provos, and an underwater wall descending 2,000 meters off of Grand Turk.

Golfers will enjoy the Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club, rated #1 in the Caribbean by USA Today. If you’re looking for something more offbeat and culinary, visit the only conch farm in the Caribbean, home to the Queen Conch variety. Conch fritters are one of the most popular ways to eat this unique seafood most Americans only have seen in episodes of Spongebob.

Curacao

This is one of the only Dutch islands in the Caribbean, and you can see it in the architectural lines of houses that look like they would fit in Amsterdam (albeit with much brighter colors). Only about 260,000 tourists stay over in Curacau each year, making this a quieter destination. History lovers will enjoy exploring the pastel colonial shades of Willemstad, and maybe getting an Instagram selfie on its famous floating Queen Emma Bridge, with the town’s colorful Dutch skyline behind them.

Aside from history and culture, Curacao is not lacking in terms of outdoor fun. Snorkelers and scuba divers will have a lot to look at off of Playa Porto Mari and Cas Abao Beach. Playa Lagun has some brilliant azure waters framed by cliffs, atop which sit some eateries with ocean views. One popular excursion on Curacao is swimming with sea turtles off of Grote Knip Beach.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Around 540,000 visitors come here every year. This small archipelago was the first place to be colonized by Europeans, and it has a long history of sugar plantations. Today, some of these plantations have been converted into hotels, creating very relaxing, exclusive vacation spots. Frigate Bay South is the most popular beach, lined with hotels, restaurants, and clubs. Banana Bay Beach is another popular option known for having the best sand and views of Saint Nevis…plus it sounds like a good place to enjoy frozen drinks.

In addition to ocean fun, Saint Kitts is one of the best islands for landward exploration—ATV tours through the jungle foliage, horseback riding, and hiking. Mount Liamuiga on the island of Kitts is covered in verdant rainforests and hiking trails. Hikers can take in amazing views of the sea. There is a verdant crater at the top, and lots of velvet monkeys.

What Are Your Summer Plans?

These four islands are just a few of the Caribbean destinations that make this part of the world famous. People come for the beaches, the snorkeling, the food and culture, and of course, drinks with umbrellas in them.

What are your plans for the summer? And what are your plans for the remainder of Q3 and Q4? Looking beyond 2023, how do you think 2024 will shape up? There is lots of activity in the software market right now. Some companies are laying employees off, but others are hiring. Some salespeople may be thinking about jumping ship and swimming ashore.

Are you one of these salespeople? Or are you a manager looking to switch out some underperforming talent with a little topgrading? Whatever’s going on, I can help. With close to four decades as a software sales recruiter, I have a wide network of companies and candidates I can bring together.

Send an email to mike@michaelblair.com and let’s connect.