Sandals to spend $500 M in Jamaica and the Caribbean

As part of is regional expansion plans in Jamaica and the Caribbean, the Sandals Group of couples only hotels and family-friendly resorts has unveiled a new project worth $500 million to expand its brand and revolutionise the luxury holidays industry in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Adam Stewart, Sandals Resorts International Chief Executive Officer recently unveiled some of the prospective initiatives which are planned to take place over the next seven to eight years and which will highly impact the Caribbean holidays industry with innovative facilities and the construction of new Caribbean hotels and resorts.

Talking about one of the company's latest project in the Jamaica holidays industry Steward said: "The Sandals City resort is very much under development,". The previously announced 250-luxury-room resort that is to be built on approximately five acres of land along Oxford Road in Kingston is still under way with plans that also far advanced for the construction of a new off-shore village that is being built at Sandals Grande St Lucian, in the eastern Caribbean island, for which ground was broken last week. Around 150 new luxury suites, including the company's signature over-the- water suites accommodation, will be constructed over the next few months.

The new project announcement comes as the Sandals Group, which includes Appliance Traders and the Jamaica Observer, celebrates its 30th anniversary providing luxury holidays in the Caribbean and going strong. Stewart also added that 30 luxury suites would be built to represent every year that the company had been in business.

The Sandals CEO noted that the luxurious over-the-water-suites would, among other amenities, feature glass floors, and would be another first for Sandals Resorts and tourism in the Caribbean; as that type of accommodation had never been done in the region.

Stewart further explained how throughout Sandals' 30-year journey, many changes had been implemented to ensure it remained on top, and that accommodations like the over-the-water-suites and other expansion would further cement Sandals' position as leaders in the luxury Caribbean holidays industry.

Other plans, the CEO said, include the expansion of the Beaches family brand with the construction of a 400-room resort at Whitehouse in Westmoreland, 100 private luxury suites at Beaches Negril and a 400-room resort at Bloody Bay in Negril. He said designs were also being done for Beaches properties in St Lucia and Antigua.

Stewart also spoke about the Dragon Bay development in Portland which he said was very significant, as it would be a high-end development. But he pointed out that it was unlikely to come to fruition before an aerodrome was built in the parish.

Another of the company's plans includes an off-shore island at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, where several over-the-water suites are also to be constructed. Stewart said while the Jamaican Government was yet to give its final approval, he was optimistic that the new innovation would soon become a reality.

Meanwhile, chairman and founder of Sandals Resorts, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart said that for 17 consecutive years his hotel chain had been ranked as the world's best all-inclusive hotels and commended his over 10,000-strong team members for their continued commitment to the company.

The Sandals Hotels brand and its products were highlighted Saturday night with several top-notch video presentations showcasing the different experiences including accommodation, food, entertainment, bars and nightlife, weddings, land and water activities and kids' programs, among others.

About the Author

Born in Cuba and having lived and studied in London for over 5 years, Susana is a recent university graduate with a passion for travel who has taken much inspiration from the exotic destination she has visited throughout the years.

Upon graduating she has ultimately come to join an important UK tour operator specialised in Cuba holidays to share her love for travel with holidaymakers as the company's very own travel reporter and news editor. Her interest in the tourism industry was formed from a very early age, following her father's footsteps, a travel representative and manager, who worked for Cuba's national air carrier and whose travelling job was also the reason she found herself travelling from an early age and living in different parts of the world with her family.

Having travelled extensively herself, throughout her home country in Cuba, Europe and other faraway destinations in Asia and the Middle East, including exotic hot spots like China and Egypt, she continues to nourish and build upon her tourism knowledge to bring our travel readers with a fresh outlook on the latest happenings in the holiday industry.