MANAGEMENT of the $16 million newly renovated Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados (formerly Grand Barbados Beach Resort) is already reporting “steady” bookings for summer.
The hotel welcomed its first guests on December 20, 2012, but was officially opened yesterday.
Following a tour of the 123-room facility, general manager Christopher Forbes told members of the media that the hotel was already seeing increased bookings. He also noted that they were already seeing positive signs for the staycation programme.
For the first quarter of this year the Aquatic Gap, Carlisle Bay, St Michael, property experienced as much as 47 per cent occupancy and was already seeing up to a 17 per cent jump for the coming months.
“We have had great success for the CARICOM region,” said Forbes.
“With respect to other bookings, we have received a lot from the online tour operators – that has been very good for us.
“We hope to see more [staycations]; we are seeing weekends and we see regulars.
“For summer, it is steady. With the launch of Radisson, we are seeing an increase in bookings almost immediately and that booking has gone up 15 to 17 per cent for the month of May as well as June,” he added.
Owners of the Radisson, a subsidiary of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, were in the process of signing a “franchise agreement” with the Capital Plaza in Trinidad and Grenada Grand in Grenada in an effort to have a presence in those two countries, said Forbes.
Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados currently employs 96 people. (MM)
