By Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE SPANISH hotel chain Riu International on Wednesday opened the doors to its posh new US$68 million 420-room hotel in Negril, its second such local venture in less than four years.
The hotel chain already has another 400 room Riu Tropical Bay Hotel in Negril.
On Wednesday night, tourism officials, travel agents, tour operators and the business community turned out in large numbers for the grand opening of the all-inclusive five-star Riu Club Hotel Negril, the newest addition to the Spanish chain of hotels worldwide.
"This is not just an opening; it is also the confirmation of our most sincere commitment with this beautiful land that welcomed us a couple of years ago," said Jordi Planelli, executive vice-president of sales and marketing for Riu International.
He said his company's commitment and contribution to the Jamaican economy will continue in Ocho Rios, where the third property, an 800-room hotel, will be completed on November 1, 2005.
INVESTMENT
"In 2003 the total investment of Riu Hotels, in new hotels and renovations was US$268 million and our total investment for 2004 will be US$235 million," Mr. Planelli told the gathering. He said Jamaica took in a big chunk of that amount over the past couple of years.
Riu International has been credited with bringing in a lot of European, especially Spanish visitors, to Jamaica. Its market strategy is said to be based largely on marketing its properties to European guests, particularly at home, in Germany and the United Kingdom. In recent times, however, the Spanish chain has been criticised by business interests in Negril for targeting American guests, on the grounds that they were taking away business from the smaller hotels in that resort town.
In June last year, whilst the European Union market fell by five per cent over the previous month, and the United Kingdom and Germany were down four per cent and 23 per cent respectively, arrivals from Spain were up 26 per cent.
SPANISH VISITORS
Coming from 504 Spanish visitors to Jamaica in January - June 2000, the figure increased to 1,327 in the similar period in 2001 and in the corresponding period in 2002.
Minister of Industry and Tourism, Aloun N'dombet Assamba, one of the facilitators of the partnership between the Spaniards and the government spoke on the impact of Riu International's investment in the country by providing jobs and opportunities for Jamaicans.
In the same breath, she urged the group to extend its reach to other segments of the community, saying "we know that you are going to support our craft merchants and that you will buy Jamaican products."
And underscoring the importance of the group becoming involved with the leaders of the community, she quipped: "When I say community leaders, I am not speaking of Dons," adding that in her capacity as Minister, her job was to "ensure that through Riu's investment, the ordinary people that live around the Negril/Hanover area benefit."
During construction, some 550 persons were employed as construction workers while 350 have subsequently been hired as a part of the hotel's staff.
Riu Hotels International is based in Majorca Island, Spain. The chain started as a small family business in 1953 but has since expanded into a reputable franchise globally.
