A new “mega-resort” is slated for development in Jamaica. At the World Travel Market, held November 6-8 in London, the Jamaica Tourist Board announced that major international hotel group Lopesan—which has over 17,000 hotel rooms across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean—is “urgently seeking to develop a 1,000-room luxury resort on the island.”
Jamaica’s minster of tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, was joined by the chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, John Lynch, and senior advisor and strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, in preliminary meeting with Lopesan’s team, which was led by CEO Francisco Lopez and director general of the hotel division, Jose Alba. Bartlett expressed appreciation for the Group’s strong investment push and noted that development would generate over 2,500 direct and indirect jobs, and positively impact scores of farmers, manufacturers, small businesses and other stakeholders.
Although it hasn’t yet been made public which brand, or brands, would be part of the resort, Lopesan operates The Lopesan Collection Hotels, Lopesan Hotels & Resorts, Kumara by Lopesan Hotels, Corallium by Lopesan Hotels, Abora by Lopesan Hotels and Ifa Hotels & Resorts. Currently, its only property in the Caribbean is Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort, Spa & Casino, located in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. There is no word yet on where the development might be planned for.
The news comes as Jamaica prepares for the official opening of the recently renovated $30 million Royalton White Sands resort in Trelawny next month. The sector is also preparing for the openings of two major resorts before summer next year—the first phase 1,000 rooms of the new Princess Resort in Hanover and the over 753-room new RIU Palace Aquarelle resort in Trelawny.
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