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| The Bachelor, Ben Higgins, at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in Jamaica. |
Ever since Sandals Resorts International announced that it would be expanding to Mexico for the first time, the consensus among agents Travel Agent spoke to was that the all-inclusive giant should work on building back up its Jamaica resorts before expanding outside of the Caribbean.
Well, it certainly appears as though all eyes will be back on Sandals' hotels in Jamaica, where the company is headquartered, with a little help from the hit ABC show, "The Bachelor."
It was announced this week that Sandals Resorts will set the stage for romance in Jamaica during two upcoming episodes of ABC's reality series The Bachelor, which is in its 20th season.
Just as "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" did for such Caribbean islands as Anguilla, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Curacao and U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Jamaica should be expected to get a major increase in tourism, particularly romance travel.
In fact, following St. Lucia's featured appearance on the 2010 season of “The Bachelor,” four hotels that were featured on the show, including the luxurious Jade Mountain and Cap Maison, were 100 percent full for months. Also, the tourism board's website went from 5,000 to 68,000 total pageviews from March to June of 2010.
The upcoming episode will feature three resorts in Jamaica owned by Sandals Resorts International - Sandals Ochi Beach Resort, Sandals Royal Plantation and Rio Chico by Sandals Resorts– as the backdrops for the Bachelor, Ben Higgins, and his final three ladies as their journey comes to an end.
The first of two episodes will air Monday, February 29, with the second episode to air Monday, March 14. Both episodes start at 8 p.m. EST.
The resorts featured in the episodes include:
Sandals Ochi Beach Resort
Following a recent multi-million dollar renovation project, Sandals Ochi Beach Resort features a fresh, modern design aesthetic along with seven new Gourmet Discovery Dining options for a total of 16 restaurants, a fresh Ochi Beach Club, reinvented resort entertainment, upgraded accommodations and more. Encompassing more than 100 acres of landscape, the resort also features the Caribbean's first and only speakeasy.
Sandals Royal Plantation
Sandals Royal Plantation is an intimate all-butler resort of just 74 ocean view suites. This enclave of retro-chic sophistication showcases roaming peacocks and manicured lawn and has long been a favorite hideaway for the international jet set and literary elite, with the likes of Ian Fleming and Noel Coward staying here back in their day.
Rio Chico by Sandals Resorts
A 14-acre villa located just outside of Ocho Rios, Rio Chico by Sandals Resorts is a six-bedroom private property that combines beachfront luxury with gardens reminiscent of a formal estate.
Visit www.sandals.com and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all the latest Caribbean news. And be sure to follow Travel Agent's Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike.