Providenciales, 22 Jul 2015 – A huge effort by the Sandals Resorts International company as the Turks and Caicos delegation now enters day three of what was supposed to be a three island FamTrip of the Eastern Caribbean properties of the resort conglomerate; the tour has broadened to include two more island nations, namely: Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica. Hotel and Tourism Association executive Stacy Cox is on the trip, we spoke to her in Barbados.
“This experience so far and much more to go has been, somewhat, an awakening of senses and what Beaches brings to the table. It is a strong brand and it does so much for the region itself and just to hear it from the other side of the region is quite commendable and it is a pure indication of what is being done in the Turks and Caicos, we are not alone and we have the opportunity also to speak to people around the region to see what works well in Beaches or Sandals…”
Also in Barbados, the Tourism Investment agency President, Stuart Layne, who concurred with their Tourism Minister and agri-businesses that Sandals brings a diversity of opportunities; we asked him how having the Sandals and a coming Beaches helps Barbados specifically.
“First of all we are happy that based on comments, from at least one carrier, that carrier has expanded its airlift just because Sandals is here so that is the sort of proof we are looking in terms of a justification for having Sandals here. We also know that Sandals has a fairly steady demand throughout the year so that also adds to the number of visitors on the island, it adds to stability in terms of employment.”
First stop of the fam trip was Grenada, home of Sandals La Source and yesterday afternoon was spent touring two of three Sandals resorts in St Lucia.
