St. George’s, October 19, 2011 (GIS) – Chairman of Grenada’s Airlift Committee (GAC), Michael McIntyre, is stressing the need to promote Grenada on the world map by introducing a flagship hotel.
“Venturing into an area like this will result in greater exposure for the island. That is one of the areas we are lacking in because we have not yet found a topnotch hotel to come to do business with us,’’ Mr. McIntyre said in an interview on the GIS Spice Morning Show.
The Airlift Committee Chairman made reference to the presence of Sandals’ Hotel in Jamaica and Antigua. The two countries, he said, have seen “significant improvement’’ in their tourism industries since Sandals started business there.
The need for a brand name hotel in Grenada also has the support of Tourism Minister Peter David and Ian Dabreo of the Grenada Tourism Association.
Minister David has argued that Grenada’s room stock, which is estimated at between 1200 and 1500, is not enough to attract greater numbers of tourists to the island.
According to Mr. Dabreo, “boosting the tourism industry by adding a five-star hotel is a good idea.’’
Large companies, Mr. Dabreo said, “spend millions marketing, so that’s an investment in itself for Grenada. But the government needs to play their part; be creative and create some form of investment for Grenadians to help lift the hotel sector.’’