Richard Sealy, Minister of Tourism, at the Astor B. Watts Lunchtime Lecture Series at DLP at DLP headquarters.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, believes that if we stay the course that Tourism will continue to reap significant benefits for the growth and development of Barbados.
While speaking at the Astor B. Watts Lunchtime Lecture Series at DLP headquarters on Friday, he stated, “Barbados with all things being equal will achieve full employment around the year 2020. At that time we will also be close to being a net exporting nation with the capacity to make our way in the world – finally.”
The Minister highlighted, “The current financial 2017/2018 will see the opening of Sandals Royal at Casuarina with 220 suites to the inventory of the island and will employ in excess of 600 persons on completion. To date the project is on stream for a December opening and currently they are in excess of 1 000 construction workers on the project.
“The commencement of major works to the Sam Lords castle by Wyndham with 450 rooms. Currently the foundation works are ongoing. This project is expected to provide 1 000 permanent jobs for the country and its expected completion is late 2019. The Sands Condo Hotel continues to progress with its development of 150 rooms and is expected to reach full operation in early 2018, employing 300 persons. The Sea Breeze Hotel expansion with 44 rooms is also expected to be operational in early 2018. The Accra Hotel expansion at Miami Beach of 44 rooms is yet another project on stream for a 2018 opening.
“The Downtown Hyatt is expected to commence construction also in this financial year with 220 rooms and will employ over 250 persons in completion. There are a number of projects which are scheduled to commence construction next year for completion in 2020. These include Sandals Beaches on the Almond Village site, this project will be a family resort with over 500 suites. In addition, Pure Beach Resort at Foul Bay in St. Philip with 309 rooms is also set to start construction in 2018.”
Sealy indicated, “These projects which commence with the opening of Sandals Casuarina in 2015 will see full completion by 2020, representing 2 300 new rooms in production, providing a much needed boost and modernisation to the Tourism Industry in Barbados. Indeed they will build the capacity required for sustained growth not only for the industry but the economy as a whole as tourism’s final product is dependent on all the sectors of the economy and likewise they depend on Tourism. We have also sought to ensure that wherever possible, the developers take cognisance of the environment and its sustainability.
“These project represent US$1 billion investment and on completion will employ directly in the establishment 4 750 persons. It should be noted that 2 300 rooms will increase the regular hotel room inventory of the island by over 40 per cent by 2020. It is estimate that the number of tourist in the island will increase to just around 800 000 by 202 and tourism revenue to increase from US$1.1 billion to US$1.5 billion by 2020.”
“The amendments to the Tourism Development Act (TDA) in 2014 fostered a higher level of investment and upgrading of the existing plant on the island. In fact the BHTA reported that over 40 properties have upgraded their
facility,” he noted. (NB)