ALMOND Beach Resorts is looking to expand its portfolio beyond Barbados into Grenada, St Lucia and Cuba.
The Caribbean resort operator says it is also looking for more hotels in Barbados and is in negotiations to take over the management contract of a hotel on the west coast of the island.
“We want to be in the eastern Caribbean region because we feel there is a lot of opportunity there for tourism growth,”said Almond Beach chairman Ralph Taylor.
Cuba has been selected as a means of tapping into the Spanish-speaking markets around the world.
“We think Cuba will add a different dimension to our product. It will have a big appeal to a huge Spanish-speaking market – not just those who live in Spain.”
With Almond to start building a 235 all-suite hotel in Negril, Jamaica, in April 2000, Taylor’s outlined strategy for expansion is clear.
He added: “We are targeting one hotel per year for the next five years.”
While the company has been weighing up new markets, it has also been busy renovating its existing products: the Almond Beach Club in St James and the Almond Beach Village in St Peter, Barbados.
The Almond Beach Club has added a new spa and health suite and all 161 rooms and suites have been upgraded with new fixtures and fittings.
At the Village, 42 new suites have been built bringing the total to 330. Over the last 14 months, more than £4.5m has been spent on the two resorts by Almond.
The company also plans to address its relationship with UK agents with new incentive schemes and educationals planned.
“We are about to announce a trade programme in the autumn called Team Almond which will bring the travel agency community into a better relationship with us,”said Taylor.
“Agents will be brought out here to become specialists on Almond. The programme is more defined than before with a certificate handed out at the end to mark their specialisation.”
Agents who become members of Team Almond will receive three free nights for two on an all-inclusive basis at either the Village or the Club, one free night for two people for each booking made, one free flight on making 10 bookings and one free island tour for two during agents’ stays.