For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

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4,800 room Sugarcane Bay multi-resort development to break ground early 2020

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that Karisma Hotels and Resort is set to break ground in the first quarter of next year, for their 4,800 room multi-resort development project in St. Ann. The project represents a near US$1 billion dollar investment.

The popular luxury chain has 26 properties in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe under several brands, including El Dorado, Azul, Generations, Sensatori and Nickelodeon.

Minister Bartlett, who made the announcement at the opening day of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) said, “This has been a long awaited announcement and I am pleased that with all the necessary approvals granted, this mega project will begin to get on the way.”

This will be a series of hotels in Llandovery in St. Ann and we are excited as this addition of rooms will ensure we remain on target to securing 15,000 rooms by 2021; bring more visitors and create more jobs.”

The Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) is reputed as the premier hospitality conference in the region. Having just completed its 8th edition, CHICOS brings together nearly 300 regional and international investors and operators, as well as the region’s leading decision makers.

Following a digital presentation of the Sugarcane Bay design, during the opening day of CHICOS before scores of local and international tourism industry investors, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Business Development of Karisma Hotels and Resorts, Mr. Ruben Becerra, was firm in the chain’s excitement at finally getting the development underway.

Senior Advisor and Strategist for Tourism, Delano Seiveright noted that in addition to Bartlett, Prime Minister Andrew Holness; Minister Daryl Vaz; Shovel Ready Programme lead and Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, John Lynch; JAMPRO and a raft of other key government stakeholders worked diligently in getting the large and multifaceted project to implementation stage thereby fully opening the door for the creation of thousands of new jobs and lucrative contracts for many local stakeholders.

Karisma Hotels & Resorts plans to operate 35 resorts worldwide by 2020, building on recent growth in the Caribbean and Mexico.

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Good news for The Bahamas

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The Islands Of The Bahamas continue to be a leading destination for travelers around the world. While the Caribbean, as a whole, is showing a positive forward booking situation for the next three months, The Bahamas is showing even more demand than expected, with new airlift to Nassau being added from major hubs across the globe. In other exciting news, The Bahamas was recently named Top Island in The Caribbean by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards.

NEWS

The Bahamas Have Rebounded – The latest ForwardKeys survey showed The Bahamas are rebounding faster than expected following Hurricane Dorian. Just one month after the hurricane, The Bahamas’ tourism numbers reached 80% when compared to pre-hurricane tourism volumes. The Caribbean, as a whole, is expecting a 1.4% increase in arrivals from November – January compared to last year.

Grand Bahama Island Is Open for Business – One of the islands hit by Hurricane Dorian is ready to welcome tourists. The Grand Bahama International Airport will re-open to international flights on November 15, 2019. Many hotels on the island have re-opened and cruise ships resumed calling to the island as early as September 27.

United Airlines Adds Non-Stop Service between Denver and Nassau – United Airlines have added Saturday-only non-stop service from Denver to Nassau. The service begins March 7, 2020 and continues through August 15, 2020.

British Airways Increases Non-Stop Service between London and Nassau – Beginning March 29, 2020, British Airways will operate non-stop service between London Heathrow and Nassau every Tuesday. British Airways will now offer non-stop service between London and Nassau Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s New Nassau Offering – Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line introduced its popular cruise and stay program to Nassau. Departing from the port of West Palm Beach, passengers can choose from a two or six night stay at participating resorts in Nassau, including SLS Baha Mar, The Melia Nassau Beach All-Inclusive or Comfort Suites Paradise Island. Over 250,000 stayover guests are expected to arrive to in The Islands Of The Bahamas in the next year.

MOT POST DORIAN OPEN FOR BUSINESS COVERAGE

• PR Results By The Numbers:

60+ media interviews and requests fulfilled
200+ placements pitched and secured featuring “Islands Open for Business” messaging
917MM+ positive media impressions generated, and counting.

AWARDS

The Bahamas Awarded in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards – The Islands Of The Bahamas placed tenth in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards for the Top 10 Islands in The Caribbean & Atlantic. Despite the trying hurricane season, The Islands continue to be a leader in Caribbean travel.

Amatterra Jamaica inks deal with Marriott International for first Marriott all-inclusive resort in Jamaica

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The architects of Jamaica’s largest integrated tourism real estate development, the Keith and Paula Russell led Amaterra Jamaica Group, have entered into a hotel management operator agreement with award-winning global travel company, Marriott International.

The official signing took place this evening in Montego Bay, Jamaica in the presence of Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Industry Minister, Audley Shaw, JAMPRO President Diane Edwards and Jampro Board Directors Delano Seiveright and Ian Levy.

Responding to consumers’ growing desire around the world for premium, worry-free vacations, Marriott International announced in August that it is launching an all-inclusive platform to serve this increasingly popular vacation segment. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, Marriott International’s portfolio currently encompasses more than 7,200 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 134 countries and territories.

The company plans to build its new platform by leveraging seven of its established full-service and luxury brands.

In partnering with Amaterra Jamaica Limited, Marriott will further expand its all-inclusive portfolio in popular, leisure destinations worldwide and bring the first Marriott Hotels branded all-inclusive property to Jamaica, providing its 137 million Marriott Bonvoy members with the opportunity to enjoy a new vacation option in the popular destination.

Amaterra’s 800-room flagship development will be located 25 miles east of Montego Bay airport on the island’s north coast and is set on two miles of white sand beach. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2020 and completed in 2022.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, noted that the development forms a key part of the, “Largest expansion of hotel room stock in Jamaica’s history representing the most powerful week in investment developments for the tourism industry, with the Marriot’s entry being a major step in the right direction.” Bartlett also listed an array of initiatives already bearing fruit in deepening linkages, broadening human capital development for tourism workers and spreading the benefits of tourism further afield.

Commenting on the partnership with Marriott International, Amaterra Group, Chairman Keith Russell noted, “The Amaterra Group is excited to welcome Marriott International as our Hotel Management Operator. The Marriott brand is internationally renowned and well respected and we couldn’t be happier to have them on board and be one of their first all-inclusive properties globally. This is a great step not only for Amaterra but also the Jamaican tourism industry and we look forward to partnering with Marriott’s other iconic brands as we go forward.”

Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America remarked, “We are thrilled to partner with Amaterra on this exciting project. Jamaica is a key destination for our new All-Inclusive brand extensions. We are pleased to start off with a flagship Marriott All-Inclusive resort project and confident that Amaterra has the vision to bring it to life on the island.”

Sands Resorts Macao and teamLab to Launch Groundbreaking, Immersive Museum at The Venetian Macao

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Sands Resorts Macao and art collective teamLab will launch a monumental digital-only museum at The Venetian Macao in January 2020.

The as-yet-untitled permanent museum will be housed in The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo Hall F, boasting 5,000 square meters of floor space. With eight meter-high ceilings throughout, space will be transformed by teamLab into an extremely complex, three-dimensional world with varying elevations, featuring constantly changing, immersive artworks. Currently, under construction, the museum will unveil new pieces.

What teamLab calls a “body immersive” museum, the new destination at The Venetian Macao will b