1 week Ago By [email protected] (Anna Ramdass)
Some Tobago tour operators have welcomed the move to invite Sandals Resorts International Ltd to reconsider establishing operations on the sister isle. They believe that Tobago’s tourism sector needs a major boost, and that Sandals could help revive it after the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. On Monday, Prime Minister Stuart Young met with executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International Ltd Adam Stewart and his team.
Various stakeholders were also invited to the meeting, including Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) leader Watson Duke, among others. Young said Stewart delivered a passionate and powerful presentation outlining what Sandals can offer, including potential benefits such as economic growth, employment opportunities, and increased airlift capacity. He said Sandals has been invited to return to the negotiating table and submit a fresh proposal for the development of a resort in Tobago on a “clean slate”.
The Express spoke to boat tour operators in Store Bay, Tobago yesterday and asked whether they supported this move. The majority were in support. Marlon Melville, boat owner and tour operator, said Sandals coming to Tobago would be a good move.
He said the resort would bring more tourists, generate employment and also increase airlift. He said there is a need to boost tourism on the island to ensure sustainability and employment security for the youth in particular. Errol Cato, a boat tour operator from Crown Point, said: “Let Sandals come—we welcome Sandals.
Anything to boost tourism and the economy.” He said there is a need to not just look at new hotel stock but to upgrade tourist attraction facilities such as Store Bay. “It is not maintained and properly kept, and we don’t really push tourism on the island,” he said.
He raised objections to installing a swimming pool in the Store Bay facility, adding that what is needed is an upgrade of the food units and surrounding areas to offer more restaurants and tourist attractions. “Nothing in Store Bay opens early. You have people coming here from 6 in the morning and everything close up,” he said.
He said the tourism industry has been very slow in the past few years and it is local tourism from Trinidad that is helping Tobago to survive. “As I said, we welcome Sandals, but other things in Tobago need improvement too—the infrastructure, and anything to boost tourism.” Josiah Gloud, 22, another boat tour operator, also shared the view that there is a need to open more venues to create opportunities for the beaches in Tobago to expand water sports and the local food experience.
“It is too limited here (Store Bay); you have people lining up for a long time for food. We need to expand what we offer, have more booths,” he said. Sandals, he said, would cause some negative impact at first to small businesses, but he believes ultimately everyone would benefit.
“It will take away a lot of small businesses, but also put back in their pocket, right? Basically, you’re sacrificing in the short term but in the long run everything will develop. People need to have a bit more patience,” he said. He said even though Sandals is an all-inclusive resort, foreigners would still want the real taste of Tobago and would come out into the communities and go where the attractions are.
He added that Sandals should invest its own money in building the hotel so it is tied to the island and could not just pull out if there is any downturn. On Monday, Young indicated that all Tobago stakeholders had signed an agreement requesting that Sandals return to the negotiating table and make a proposal to invest in Tobago. He said that Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) leader Watson Duke, though he left early before the agreement was signed, had expressed support for Sandals’ return.
Duke said yesterday that Sandals is a five-star hotel that attracts guests with “unlimited” budgets, and they would boost Tobago. “So we are saying Sandals is welcome. All hotels of a five-star nature are welcome, but we have to look at it in a detailed way when the discussion takes place,” he said.
Duke said there must be three wins. The first is for the hotel, where they can realise their profits. The second win is for the Tobago House of Assembly.
“You can’t come and make the House of Assembly look like a dolly house. It must be respected,” he said. The third win, he said, is the most important win—for the people.
Duke said further that all foreign hotels coming to Tobago must set up a sovereign wealth fund. He explained that a sovereign wealth fund is a fund that is used to further develop Tobago and its people. “So we are saying, we want all international brands of hotel to sign on to a sovereign wealth fund where a certain percentage of the profit goes towards the people’s development directly and the infrastructural development of the island,” he said.
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