Building for the Future

PHOTO: Stephanie Villedrouin is Haiti’s minister of tourism.

Seeking to propel regional tourism by matching new facilities and amenities in competing global tourist destinations, several Caribbean destinations are improving their tourism infrastructure with new hotels and resorts, as well as airports, highways and ports for cruise ship facilities.

Facing limited budgets based on state funds, tourism authorities and governments in these countries are increasingly partnering with private investors. Here are a handful of the projects underway across the Caribbean:

ANTIGUA

PHOTO: The government of Antigua and Barbuda recently announced an agreement with Robert DeNiro for a $250 million resort on Barbuda.

The government of twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda recently announced an agreement with star actor Robert DeNiro for a $250 million resort on Barbuda. Prime Minister Gaston Browne also named DeNiro, whom he expects to “attract more investments” to Antigua and Barbuda, a “special economic envoy.”

Launched via a partnership between DeNiro and Australian businessman James Packer, the plan calls for the renovation and expansion of Barbuda’s defunct K-Club resort into a new luxury property. Construction is expected to begin in 2015.

The DeNiro project announcement follows an earlier government announcement regarding plans for a $2 billion, 1,600-acre mega-resort on land formerly owned by jailed financier Allen Stanford.

CAYMAN ISLANDS

The Cayman Islands are in the midst of a tourism boom. Air arrivals for 2014 are up 6.4 percent to date and the nation expects a “record-breaking” 1.95 million cruise ship arrivals in 2015, a total not reached since 2006, says Moses Kirkconnell, the Cayman Islands’ deputy premier and minister for district administration, tourism and transport.

Yet the Cayman Islands’ popularity also poses problems. Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport is outdated and subject to overcrowding. The airport operates at double its 500,000-person capacity at peak periods.

Furthermore, Grand Cayman lacks a cruise ship pier capable of handling the largest ships. Cruise lines are forced to anchor vessels off shore and use tenders, a time-consuming process cruise lines prefer to avoid.

Yet infrastructure Improvements are on the way, says Kirkconnell. “In October 2013, the government issued a policy directive to enhance the existing facilities at all three of our airports, and a strategic outline case (SOC) outlining various redevelopment options for consideration was developed,” he says. The process is expected to lead to redevelopment of the airport in 2015, he adds.

In the meantime, “A series of critical upgrades have been implemented at Owen Roberts to provide more comfort and convenience for travelers. These include the installation of a new roof to provide shade and weather protection for arriving passengers.

“Also, the air-conditioning system has been upgraded to maintain a comfortable temperature in the arrivals and departure areas,” he notes. “The departure lounge has been extended to provide additional seating for passengers waiting to depart. The overarching goal is to ensure that all travelers using our airports have the most comfortable and convenient travel experience possible.”

Kirkconnell also says that work on a new cruise ship pier and terminal is expected to begin in 2015.

JAMAICA

PHOTO: Rendering of the Moon Palace Jamaica resort in Ocho Rios.

The completion of a multi-million dollar renovation of the Ocho Rios cruise ship terminal has launched a much-needed renovation across this staple Jamaican resort town. The upgrade of the cruise terminal and adjoining facilities was the second phase of an improvement project launched last fall by Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment. The work includes restoration of the waterfront Turtle River Road.

The 2008 opening of the Falmouth cruise ship pier focused increasingly harsh light on the dated facilities in Ocho Rios. Several cruise companies have moved their ships to Falmouth pier in recent years, impacting tour operators, retailers, hoteliers and other Ocho Rios stakeholders.

The renovation area also incorporates the pedestrian path between the cruise pier and the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa. Palace Resorts recently purchased the property and announced a re-launch of the resort in 2015 as the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande following a $50 million renovation.

Although Wykeham McNeil, Jamaica’s minister of tourism and entertainment, said recently that Jamaica’s cruise ship arrivals are up by 10 percent in 2014, the piers at Falmouth and Montego Bay are leading the improvement, while Ocho Rios’ passenger arrival numbers have declined in recent years.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Breeze will reposition to Falmouth from Ocho Rios next year, placing more pressure on Ocho Rios to increase arrivals.

“Arrivals at Falmouth and Montego Bay are up over Ocho Rios,” says McNeill. “We have already started infrastructural works in Ocho Rios,” he adds. “We are trying to get a better product. Ocho Rios is a fabulous cruise destination. We are going on a drive to make the [port] regain itself as one of the greatest cruise destinations in the world.”

HAITI

Haiti’s government estimates that the devastating 2010 earthquake collapsed or severely damaged 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building and the Port-au-Prince Cathedral.

Slowly, the country is emerging from the devastation to rebuild its economy in part through tourism. The government of Michael Martelly, Haiti’s president, has unveiled plans for thousands of hotel rooms, cruise liner berths and tourism infrastructure at sites around the country.

For example, in the present-day fishing village of Côtes-de-Fer, the government plans a 5,680-acre development that will include 20,000 rooms spread across four hotels plus an 18-hole golf course, a beach club and a small nearby airport. The project is expected to cost $266 million.

Tourism development is also planned for the southern Haitian island of île-a-Vache, where the government has launched work on development that will feature 2,500 rooms and an international airport. Dredging to accommodate supply ships is nearly complete, while work at the future airport site is also under way.

In August, Haiti officials inked a memorandum of understanding with cruise operator Carnival Corp. to build a $70 million pier and facility on Haiti’s Tortuga Island.

The 100-acre facility will include two piers plus other small piers for tender vessels. Also planned are an airstrip for cargo and an area for restaurants and arts and crafts vendors. Tortuga’s history as a haven for colonial-era pirates will serve as inspiration for a theme park at the site, and local tours of historic sites will also be offered.

The project will fast-forward the country’s status as an emerging Caribbean leisure destination, according to Stephanie Villedrouin, Haiti’s tourism minister. “It has a huge potential not only for the amazing beaches, but also it has three fortresses on the island,” Villedrouin said earlier this year.

“The potential for attractions and excursions is very, very high,” she said. “We have agreed to work with the minister of culture to restore the fortresses just as we have the Citadelle in the north of the country. We’re talking about 10,000 visitors coming on site in one day.”

“We are working together with the Haitian people and government to build Tortuga into a popular and economically sustainable Caribbean destination,” says David Candib, vice president of development and operations for Carnival’s global port and destination development group.

“One of the conversations the government had with Carnival was to make sure a lot of excursions can be offered across the island,” says Villedrouin. “The island is a beautiful island to visit and tours can focus on agro-tourism, historical tourism or horseback riding. So there is a lot of potential to go outside of the site that Carnival is building and visit the island.”

PUERTO RICO

Despite already hosting a multitude of attractions and activities, Puerto Rico’s tourism stakeholders — represented by the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC), Meet Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association — are looking ahead.

Officials at these organizations direct Puerto Rico tourism policies and practices that support the destination as it welcomes a new generation of hotels and an expansion of its meeting facilities and tourism infrastructure.

Hotel companies are opening three new properties with about 500 rooms in the next two month says Mari Jo Laborde, PRTC’s chief sales and marketing officer. “The first is the first Hyatt House hotel opening this month in the convention center district. Hyatt House is more of a long-term stay brand. It’s a great product addition to the convention district and will provide planners and organizers the room to set up meetings just outside of the convention center,” she says.

The historic Condado Vanderbilt Hotel celebrated a relaunch in December. “It’s a five-star property featuring 1920’s glamour with a modern twist, including all of the modern technologies,” said Laborde.

The Blok is a smaller hotel of about 23 rooms. Based on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, the boutique property will open with a restaurant that will be operated by one of Puerto Rico’s most acclaimed new chefs, Jose Enrique.

Laborde says Puerto Rico’s hotel growth has threatened to at times eclipse occupancy. “Our occupancy has been impacted by our own hotel growth. So we are really happy that hotel occupancy is equal to slightly above [2013],” she says. “We’ve also seen our airport arrival numbers increase from around eight million passengers to about 8.5 million within the past year.”

Says Laborde, “Our increase in air arrivals has been accompanied by a complete remodeling of our airport. Phase one of that remodeling will be finished by November and the completion of all of the remodeling will occur in December 2015. The remodeling will centralize the passenger movements so that connections are easier, and it will also provide a stronger commercial and shopping experience for the passengers when they are in San Juan.”

Note: This article is from the Caribbean: How the Islands are Building for the Future supplement.