NEW YORK CITY, New York – Travel Agent attended the annual Caribbean Media Marketplace Thursday as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Caribbean Week and walked away with some juicy news.
Bermuda Considers Casinos, Looking to Build a St. Regis
We chatted with Bermuda’s Minister of Business Development and Tourism, Hon. Wayne L. Furbert, and learned that there is currently a referendum on the table to bring casinos to the destination. Furbert told us that the main reason for targeting this market was to attract younger people to the destination. The destination is also looking to bring a luxury powerhouse to the island. Furbert told us that Bermuda is in “heavy discussions” to sign a deal that would bring a St. Regis hotel to the destination. If all goes well, Furbert said groundbreaking of the resort would start in as early as four weeks.
Cap Juluca Sold to the Original Owners
We sat down with Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hon. Hubert Hughes, and learned that Cap Juluca has been sold to its original owners, Charles and Linda Hickox.
In early May, the Hickox purchased a majority of the real estate of the resort at a public auction. Three days later, May 5th, they also purchased additional real estate, personal property and the rights to operate the business in a Private Treaty Sale. As a result the legal issues that have plagued one of the Caribbean’s best luxury resorts for the last few months have been resolved.
“We were all just so relieved that this ended well because for some time there was fear that one of Anguilla’s best properties would be shut down,” says Hughes. “There was a real possibility of Cap Juluca closing for good, but now we can celebrate that it will be back and better than ever.”
The resort is slated to close for refurbishments in August and will reopen oin November.
Island Routes targeting St. Kitts and Nevis
David Shields, general manager of Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours told us that the company is eyeing possible tours to St. Kitts and Nevis, but the process is still in the preliminary stages. The company currently operates tours in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Grand Cayman and Barbados
Grenada Looking to Sign Deal With Four Seasons
Travel Agent sat down with members of the Grenada Board of Tourism and learned that the destination has resumed discussions to bring a Four Seasons resort to the island. Hon. George Vincent, Grenada’s new minister of tourism, civil aviation and culture, told us that talks have recently resumed with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts to build a property on the south side of the island. Plans were in effect a few years ago, but then stalled when the recession hit, Vincent says.
“We’ve picked up talks again,” says Vincent. “Hopefully, if all goes well, we can see groundbreaking on that property probably by the end of the year.”
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