by Linda Straker
- Both properties shut doors after borders closed in late March 2020
- Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) delighted with reopening
- Both properties operating as fully vaccinated facilities
Tourism Minister Clarice Modeste has described the reopening of two all-inclusive hotel properties on 1 October 2021 as evidence that the management of these facilities are confident that the sector will rebound.
“These two remarkable resorts will no doubt add immensely to the variety of options in the accommodation sector. This reopening is indeed testimony to the confidence in the resilience of the industry,” Modeste said, on the impact they are expected to have on the economy and by extension the tourism and travel sector.
Both properties shut their doors after the country closed its borders in late March 2020 as part of measures to contain and control the spread of Covid-19, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a pandemic. The first case was medically confirmed on 22 March 2020.
Barry Collymore, Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), said that the reopening will have a tremendous impact on the economy. He believes that the Spice Island Beach Resort will drive a lot of repeat business, while Royalton will open new business for Grenada. “They all, in the end, will be good for tourism, jobs and all of that, but they are going in the right direction.”
Brian Hardy, General Manager of the Spice Island Beach Resort, said that the 64-room property on Grand Anse beach which opened with over 50% staff, is declared a quarantine site for visitors. “We are a fully vaccinated operation. All visitors and guests, our staff and management, entertainers, everyone who will be on the compound of the property, must be fully vaccinated.”
Marlon Walker who is the Online Communications Manager for Royalton Grenada confirmed that the 267-room hotel also reopened its doors for guests on 1 October. The all-inclusive family resort will also be operating as a fully vaccinated facility.
Together, both hotels will now be making over 300 hotel rooms available. The Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) expressed delight for the additional rooms. “Having both hotels operating is excellent news for the country, as there are many people now in employment and their guests will fill seats on aircraft,” said President Leo Garbutt. “Also, local suppliers, farmers, fishermen, and others will have orders to fulfill. These hotels operating will stimulate the economy, so it is a winning situation for all,” he added.
According to the 2021 mid-year review which was recently tabled in the Houses of Parliament, the tourism sector remains the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Data for the first half of 2021 shows that travel was depressed for the first quarter of 2021. However, the second-quarter data showed some improvement as several airlines added flights during that period.
From January to June 2021, the number of visitors to the country was 10,027 with 8,026 coming from the USA.
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The rooms will remain available as long as the Island remains full of Covid spreaders.
You must EDUCATE yourselves. Even DOUBLE VACCINATED persons can catch covid. Look to other countries around the world for data. You are not safe until there is NO ONE who can spread covid. Unvaccinated persons are the ones spreading covid still.
You MUST continue to WEAR MASKS even after being vaccinated. This includes TOURISTS, LOCALS, everyone until there are no more active covid cases. You also need to realize that Delta variant is much more contagious. If we don’t get this variant stopped it is likely the virus will mutate once again.
The vaccine is supposed to protect you from death or the most severe cases of covid. It is not 100% immunity.
You also need to EDUCATE yourselves of the longterm effects of catching covid. CHILDREN are in jeopardy of having a further complication of a deadly inflammatory reaction 4 to 8 weeks after recovering from covid.
You can catch covid MORE THAN ONCE.
If you want a thriving island once again get vaccinated. Covid is not going away without preventative action.
Who wants to travel to a country that is full of disease?
Had Grenada vaccinated as soon as the vaccine was available there is a good chance you would have not had over 100 deaths. Shame on your arrogance to not be testing actively for months and shame on your stubbornness to not get vaccinated that has cost Elders of 100 years of age, living good lives to DIE.
How many deaths do you need to convince you to take the vaccine?? The WHOLE island?
Same here, with only 20% fully vaccinated we’d rather spend our money elsewhere despite loving Grenada it’s not worth the risk.
If Grenadians get vaccinated – to raise the current 20 % accounted status to a respectable number then we , the tourists who love Grenada will come . The hospitals need to have beds for non covid issues also . So if the people of Grenada respect science then life will
Get much better
Nobody is coming if the island is locked down.
So do these hotels know something the government is not telling the public.
If these current Covid restrictions carry on, there will be know airlines flying into Grenada again, destroying businesses. A business can not operate with shut down….open up…..shut down….open up.
Somebody needs to make a consistent plan that allows people to plan what to do with their business and not keep changing every 5 minutes..
Who coming to Grenada when disease everywhere and no room in the hospital.
Good news for the owners and staff of the 2 hotels – if tourists come. Some may just want to stay on site in a ‘fully vaccinated bubble’ and enjoy some sunshine, sea and luxury, but the moment they leave the ‘vaccinated bubble’ and go out to see other parts of the island, or enter a shop, or restaurant they are likely to be served by folk who have not been vaccinated. The risk of catching Covid is just too great and the hospitals are already overwhelmed, so its not fair to come and possibly end up as another patient, so I and others have cancelled plans to come ‘home’ in January. It is indeed everyone’s choice not to have the vaccine but its my choice to spend my holiday money elsewhere.
Very good news. But available for what exactly?