HOTELIERS ARE APPEALING to the Government to give them the same concessions it plans to give the Jamaican chain, Sandals Resorts International.
In a Press statement yesterday the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) welcomed Sandals to Barbados, following a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and Sandals on October 18 in relation to the former Almond Beach Village property.
Under a lease arrangement Sandals will transform the beach village under its family oriented Beaches brand; work is to start on that in nine months.
Sandals has already purchased another local hotel, the former Casuarina Beach Resort which was briefly operated by Couples Resorts, and is set to officially open in December.
The BHTA said it recognized the value of the brand and its potential positive effect on the marketing of Barbados as a destination along with its ability to attract and secure airlift.
“With regard to the new concession referred to by the minister involving the tax concessions for food and beverage that are based on investments of $500m or over, we would expect that based on the criteria for qualification that these concessions would take effect when the Sandals Beaches (formally known as Almond Beach Village) comes into operation.
“The BHTA would expect, and will advocate on behalf of its members to ensure, that any measures that result from the extensive review of incentives that is being undertaken, as referred to by the Minister in his statement, and those incentives already provided to Sandals, will be available to all of our members to ensure that a level playing field is maintained,” the statement read.
The hotel body said it was grateful to read in the ministerial statement delivered by Minister of Tourism and International Transport Richard Sealy on Tuesday in the House of Assembly that the negotiations with Sandals highlighted the need for the industry to have a robust incentive regime and a framework for constant upgrade and improvement since it was something that the BHTA has lobbied for over many years. (PR/AC)