The ongoing expansion and upgrading works at Sandals La Source in Grenada has now generated 1,200 jobs and continues to make a significant contribution toward reducing the island’s unemployment figures. Speaking at a time when the regional and global economy continues to face mounting challenges, Sandals Chairman Gordon Butch Stewart announces that over 1,200 employees are now working on the construction site at Point Salines. Stewart says that 99% of the employees are Grenadian nationals, an indication that the national work force is very skilled.

“Grenada has been a phenomenon for us in the Caribbean in the field of construction. The quality of workers in Grenada has been nothing but superb. As a result, all of the companies engaged in technical work are 99% Grenadian,” Stewart noted.

The Sandals Chairman states that Sandals La Source upgrading and expansion is progressing very smoothly and will be opened on December 12. He disclosed that the travel community is responding remarkably to the resort which will boast 225 of the most luxurious suites in three exotic villages.

“We are seeing an extraordinary response from customers who are all excited about spending their winter at our newest creation at Sandals La Source. We are about 75% booked for the 2014 winter and it’s just a tremendous start to our first resort in Grenada. We have been working towards expanding our luxury included concept to Grenada for the last twelve years, and so this initial burst is very heartening. It’s an inspiration to us to continue offering more quality inclusions than anyone else on the planet,” the Sandals Chairman added. ,/br>
Sandals acquired the ailing La Source Grenada resort last November and announced a multi-million dollar expansion and upgrading to what will be Grenada’s largest and leading resort- brand. Its arrival to Grenada has been met with much enthusiasm from the business and tourism community. Grenadian tourism officials believe that the inclusion of the 32-year old resort brand will result in an upsurge in airlift and marketing exposure for the island.

Their prediction is given credence by the impact the Sandals marketing machinery has become renowned for. Fox Network, CNN and NBC are just some of the major US networks, through which the company channels its promotion of various Caribbean destinations to all corners of the globe. In recent times, the company began to make inroads in South America and the far-east as it innovatively seeks to diversify its markets.

Imagery of its latest creation will soon beam into the living rooms of many potential tourists to Grenada as the soon to be opened Sandals La Source promises to excite the world. Its three broad themes are centered around; the Italian, Pink Gin and South Seas Villages. According to Stewart the new Sandals masterpiece will in many ways create history for the company.

“Pink Gin is a very modern Caribbean feel with historic levels of luxury. The Italian village is a work of art with sky pool suites from the third story, being the first of its kind. The South Seas village also continues to get response from travelers online,” discloses the Sandals Chairman.

Meanwhile the resort-chain has selected its Grenadian management team which has been deployed for further training throughout the Caribbean where Sandals resorts operate. According to the Sandals Chairman, the interview process reaffirmed the view that the Grenadian workforce is very exemplary.

“The people of Grenada are ideal for hospitality. It’s in their blood and it’s who they are, so this marries very nicely with what Sandals is all about, and what we sell to our customers. We believe in hiring attitude first and then refining it. We have found them to be truly outstanding,” Stewart remarked.

The Sandals Chairman also unveiled plans to build a call-center in Grenada that will accommodate bookings worldwide for Sandals, Beaches and Grande Pineapple resorts. The call center which comes on the heels of similar investments in Jamaica and St. Lucia, will feature the latest of modern technologies, linking Grenada to booking hubs located in the two other Caribbean sister islands. He went on to add “our operations across the region have played a tremendous role in bringing professionals in the Caribbean in touch with each other. Some of the best tourism professionals in the world are from the Caribbean and they continue to add tremendous value to our product and we are committed to creating opportunities for their careers to advance.”

The world travel awards travel-man of the millennium believes that his company’s social corporate responsibility finds expression through the Sandals Foundation which continues to impact lives throughout the Caribbean. Its portfolio of projects include: the development of schools, hospitals, sports academies and a myriad of environmental and social initiatives. 3

“We are from the Caribbean and understand the Caribbean better than anyone else in the travel business. We are therefore committed to the region and the development of the islands that shape it. We feel obligated to showcase the enormous beauty of the islands of the Caribbean to the world,” remarks the Jamaican-born Stewart.

The Caribbean hotel tycoon asserts that the same values of partnership and community enhancement which inspires the Sandals Foundation, is the same spirit which defines the working relationship between Sandals Resorts International and the regional travel industry. Sandals, which was conceptualized in the Caribbean continues to set innovative models and standards of excellence, bringing the region of mostly island nations to the forefront of the world.