Sandals good for Grenada says ‘Spice Island’ Govt Minister

Providenciales, 21 Jul 2015 – It has turned into a three day, four island tour of the Eastern Caribbean properties of Sandals Resorts International and as far as the TCI delegates are concerned so far, the mission, organized by Chairman of Sandals, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and his Public Relations team is turning into a networking opportunity for tourism, business, media, transportation and agriculture professionals.

So far, the group has seen the La Source Sandals in Grenada and from that country’s former Tourism Minister and current, Minister for Implementation the Hon Alexandra Otway-Noel we learned that their landslide government sees things in the ‘Spice Islands’ as really good.

“…we’ve had an 18% growth in tourism and that is largely due to the opening of Sandals Resort on our island. We have a booming tourism sector and a very unique product. We’ve also changed our marketing strategy and capitalized on all of the beauty and fabulous people and the safety and all of the wonderful things that we cherish and celebrate here in Grenada and it seems like the world wants to celebrate and enjoy these things with us – so it’s been beneficial, it’s been working.”

Otway-Noel says tourism in the island is experiencing a surge, and at least 18% of the growth is attributed to Sandals Resort and its ability to assist in airlift negotiations.

“As minister for implementation now I am working more on investment projects and opportunities to build more hotels on the island; because we have the demand now we need the supply so it’s an opportunity now for people to invest on the island, especially in the tourism sector so that we can have more supply for that demand.”

La Source had financial fall-out, that is when Stewart swooped in and bought the property, adding 100 rooms and reopening the hill side couples’ hotel in 2012.