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Construction work on Kimpton Kawana Bay, which will be the second Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants hotel in the Caribbean when it opens in Grenada in October of 2019, is in full swing, said Patricia Maher, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority.
“I passed it last night (July 24) and they are working on the construction,” Maher told TravelPulse during a recent interview.
The Kimpton Kawana Bay, which first broke ground in January, will join Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in Kimpton’s Caribbean portfolio, which seems to be geared toward islands that attract Millennials with money.
Here are some other highlights from that interview, including further details on the new Kimpton, as well as the soon-to-open Silversands Grenada hotel.
U.S. Market Continues to See Rapid Growth
According to statistic recently released by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Grenada’s U.S. market share was more than 50 percent in June with the largest feeder markets being New York, Florida and New Jersey.
Maher also told TravelPulse that California continues to see impressive growth.
“And we thought last year was great,” said Maher. “We are growing exponentially. The fact that the U.S. market share is 54 percent when a year and a half ago, it was in the mid-40’s, is huge for us.”
Cruise arrivals from January to June grew by 26.5 percent with yachting arrivals increasing by nine percent and yachting calls by 8.5 percent. This placed Grenada fourth by the CTO June report for positive growth in cruise passenger arrivals behind Bermuda, Curacao and Martinique.
Additionally, the latest CTO statistics released this June ranked Grenada in the top three markets for increased growth in tourist arrivals from the U.S., Canada and Europe.
The Hotel Influence
Maher attributed much of Grenada’s continued growth in the U.S market to the destination’s steady flow of new hotel product over the years.
And keeping that momentum going will is a pair of heavily buzzed-about hotels – Silversands Grenada and Kimpton Katana Bay hotel. Maher said Silversands and Kimpton both represent the first new hotel developments on Grand Anse Beach in roughly 25 years.
Opening in November, Silversands will have 43 suites and nine residential villas for purchase.
Guests and villa owners will have access to the Silversands Spa, offering locally-inspired treatments, a beach club with a resident DJ and two restaurants serving globally-inspired cuisine.
Kimpton Kawana Bay is expected to open in October of 2019. The property will include an infinity pool, a restaurant, a lounge and a beach bar, fitness center, spa and water sports facilities.
The 146-key resort will be comprised of 101 luxury studio rooms, 45 suites, with some featuring private pools overlooking the beach and 12 additional penthouse apartments available for purchase.
There is a beach in Grenada where Kawana turtles, or adult female leatherback sea turtles, arrive. So, the fact that Kimpton included ‘Kawana’ in its name showed Maher the developers’ dedication to hotel’s local surroundings.
“It really speaks so me to much that they used the Kawana in the name,” she said. “It says so much about their philosophy. It says their philosophy is destination first and hotel second.”
Other Grenada Hotel News
Spice Island Beach Resort, an all-inclusive hotel in Grenada, recently announced that it has increased its travel agent commission to 15 percent on all reservations booked directly with the property or through the GDS system.
Spice Island Beach Resort tends to appeal to affluent travelers as it includes high-end, luxury beachfront and private pool suites, spa treatments incorporating local spices and a culinary program featuring seven-course dinners.
All suites are air-conditioned and come with such amenities as a large whirlpool, LCD flat panel televisions with cable, Italian Frette bathrobes and linens, Molton Brown bath and body amenities and a mini-bar. Several suites feature a private pool.
Nightly rates range from $1,145 – $2,155 per room, per night, based on two people sharing one suite from now until December 15.
Flight News
Earlier this year, Sir Royston Hopkin, owner of Spice Island Resort, and one of the most influential hoteliers in the region, told media at an event in New York that JetBlue Airways was on the verge of securing nonstop, direct flights to Grenada from Ft. Lauderdale.
And although Maher couldn’t confirm the news with TravelPulse, she did note, “What Sir Royston says usually winds up happening.”
In other Grenada flight news, American Airlines is adding a second, direct flight on Saturdays direct from Miami to Grenada, said Maher.
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