Blue Waters
One of Antigua’s oldest hotels, the Blue Waters, will use World Travel Market to re-establish itself as one of the island’s best-known properties after being closed for nearly three years.
Blue Waters reopened last December following a $9m renovation to rebuild and upgrade its facilities after it was hit by Hurricane Luis in 1995.
The 77-room property will also be announcing further improvements, including a new tennis court and gymnasium, complete with the latest cardiovascular and aerobic equipment, and a new children’s play area.
In addition, in 2000, the hotel plans to become an all-inclusive property.
Elegant Hotels
Elegant Hotels has plenty of news to announce from its stand, in particular an update on its plans to treble in size in the Caribbean over the next few years.
At present, Elegant owns five hotels on Barbados and one on Antigua, and is looking at Grenada, Tobago, St Lucia and St Vincent as suitable locations for the expansion of its upmarket brand.
The group recently spent $4m refurbishing the Tamarind Cove hotel on Barbados and has also upgraded Colony Club, Crystal Cove and Coconut Creek. Its other two properties are the five-star Turtle Beach, also on Barbados, and the Trade Winds on Antigua.
Hyatt Hotels
Hyatt Hotels will be promoting its Caribbean properties in the Caribbean Village area at this year’s WTM.
The group presently has four resorts in the Caribbean: in Aruba, Grand Cayman and two in Puerto Rico.
Its newest resort and first in the Windward Islands, the Hyatt Regency St Lucia, opens in December.
The $55m, 300-room hotel is set in 15 acres on St Lucia’s Pigeon Point and is built in British colonial style.
Facilities include a free-form swimming lagoon, two restaurants, a health club and spa and a Camp Hyatt children’s area.
Sandals Resorts
Sandals will be presenting its new Signature Spa Collection at World Travel Market, as well as introducing a number of new faces to its UK management team.
The all-inclusive giant is now the largest owner-operator of spas in the Caribbean. Its Signature Spa Collection includes Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa, Sandals Antigua Resort and Spa, Sandals St Lucia Golf Resort and Spa, and Sandals Dunn’s River Golf resort and Spa and Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa, both in Jamaica.
This year has seen the expansion of Sandals’ UK management with the addition of Chris May as managing director international markets, Daisy Williams as head of marketing international markets and Jeremy Brook as director of sales international markets.
As in previous years, chairman and chief executive officer of Sandals Resorts, Butch Stewart, will also be on hand to help update the trade on a number of new developments, including the addition of 56 suites at Sandals St Lucia, part of a $15m expansion currently underway at the resort.
December will see a new French Village unveiled at Beaches Turks and Caicos. The village includes 166 deluxe rooms and a freshwater swimming pool.
At Sandals Dunn’s River a new butler service has been introduced to the hotel’s suite concierge service.
At Sandals Royal Bahamian, a new conference centre with 11,548 sq ft of space has been completed.
SuperClubs
The SuperClubs delegation, led by executive vice-president Joe Issa, is coming to WTM with news of the group’s expansion plans.
Visitors will also be able to hear about room additions and improvements to SuperClubs resorts in Jamaica, the Bahamas and Cuba.
Paul Verhaak, recently appointed Europe division sales and marketing vice-president, is planning to move the regional office from Somerset to Surrey.
A sales and marketing director for Europe is also being appointed.
n Anguillan five-star resort, Malliouhana, is exhibiting on the Anguilla Tourist Board stand for the first time. Representatives Daphne Warner and Diana Roydon will have news of a $2m extension to the property’s existing children’s playground. The new beachside playground with two swimming pools will open on December 15.
n The Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao will be sharing a stand with Aruba and Bonaire. Executive director of Curacao Tourism Development Pieter Sampson will be on the stand highlighting developments on the island, including increased investment in hotel infrastructure. The island’s carnival season, which runs from late January to early March, will also be promoted.
n Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands has named two new general managers. Pam and Jacques Brouchier come to Biras Creek from the Pink Sands Resort on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. The couple will oversee the luxurious 33-suite resort, which is accessible only by boat and was recently named a Relais and Chateaux property.
n The Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas is undergoing a $40m expansion. Parent company Sun International is adding 54 rooms as well as a new restaurant and spa/fitness centre. The hotel is closed until December 22. The total expansion, to be carried out over several phases, is expected to be completed by December 2000.
n The owner of Glitter Bay hotel and Royal Pavilion on Barbados has changed its name. Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resorts, which bought the two exclusive west coast properties last year, has rebranded itself as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts following its acquisition of Fairmont Hotels.