By Garwin Davis, Assistant News Editor
A guest cosys up to a dolphin at Dolphin Cove, Ocho Rios.
WITH AN assurance from the cruise industry that more ships would be calling on the resort town, Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios is set to spend over $250 million on a massive expansion drive.
This, according to owner Stafford Burrowes, will ensure that Dolphin Cove not only maintains its market share but could adequately compete with the over 10 new dolphin facilities which have been established recently in Florida and the Caribbean. The expansion he said would coincide with the beginning of the new winter tourist season.
"The cruise shipping industry has been pushing us to increase our capacity so it may schedule more ships to arrive in both Montego Bay and Ocho Rios," Mr. Burrowes said. "Presently we are over stretched in terms of our capacity - sometimes having to turn back people- ours is a genuine need for expansion."
FIRST CLASS ATTRACTION
The expansion he said would be akin to the Sea World concept in Florida - a modern day first class attraction, which Mr. Burrowes said would give the country a real huge economic boost. "We are widely acknowledged as the best dolphin attraction in the Caribbean by cruise passengers and land based guests, including visiting dignitaries," he said.
Built nearly three years ago at a cost of US$3 million, the attraction, located close to Dunn's River Falls, has experienced what one person called a "meteoric rise" in its business fortunes. So much so that it is now running a close second to Dunn's River Falls in terms of popularity.
The four-acre property not only boasts 15,000 feet of beach front but comes with a pavilion, which provides information on the dolphins and instructions on how to swim with them.
There is also a restaurant, gift shop, snack counter, hairbraiding facility and an area where photos can be taken with the friendly sea mammals. And in but a short time since it has opened its doors, the attraction has already been recognised for excellence. It was voted by the Association of Jamaica Attractions Limited as the best attraction for the year 2001 and later the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association's Allied Member Award for the Most Distinguished Service for 2001. It has also been lauded by cruise officials as a first class facility that caters well to the needs of their passengers. "A very powerful concept," is how senior vice president of operations at Carnival Cruise Lines Brendon Corrigan describes Dolphin Cove. This is very good for Ocho Rios."
Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba is also impressed. "The tourism industry is fortunate to have such high calibre attractions," she said. "Dolphin Cove is a first rate facility."
Mr. Burrowes is even promising greater things. He said his new expansion will cover approximately 60,000 square feet and will include a new pier with the intention being to ferry the passengers directly from the cruise ships into Dolphin Cove.
"The town of Ocho Rios has had over 40 per cent increase in cruise passenger due to the allure of Dolphin Cove," Mr. Burrowes added. "The facts are there to support this. What we are doing is to prepare to fill and meet the increased demand anticipated for the upcoming winter season for both the cruise shipping and land based visitors to our island. We are also planning to double our more than 140 employees with this new theme park development."
Asked whether he wasn't the least bit worried that given the country's penchant for social instability it is the wrong time to make such an investment, Mr. Burrowes said the North Coast, particularly Ocho Rios, was a place that was conducive to investment.
"The new highway has made Ocho Rios more accessible to Montego Bay passengers," he said. "We are planning on establishing the largest artificial reef ball project in the Caribbean. Ocho Rios marine park users will have free access to the new reef development."
And what about the dolphins...are there any plans to give them more room to roam? "Our new lagoon will be designed to allow the dolphins to freely- at their own desire- leave lagoon to swim in open sea, similar to facility in Israel.
Our current facility has its barrier to the sea which is submerged at high tide so animals could freely swim or jump away if they wished."
Mr. Burrowes added that the attraction will develop special dive encounters in open ocean for scuba divers as was the custom in other countries. He said that an education facility will also be developed where students can earn college credits doing their internship at the facility.
