PUERTO RICO
ON THE MEND
Puerto Rico is boosting room inventory by 25 %, or 3,800 new rooms , as extensive renovations allowed resorts to add capacity .
“ The product is being revamped , and this has been a major draw for visitors ,” says Brad Dean , CEO of tourism marketer Discover Puerto Rico . Nearly 11,000 rooms were available as of late summer , with more than 4,000 under renovation , he says . Several big resorts are scheduled to reopen in the fourth quarter or early next year , including the Gran Meliá Hotel and the Caribe Hilton . The island ’ s inventory will top 18,000 rooms by next year .
Dean notes that May ( the most recent data available ) yielded positive results due to a second room-rate increase this year . Puerto Rico hotels saw a 22.4 % ADR increase in May and a 33.9 % RevPAR boost , compared with the year-earlier period .
Discover Puerto Rico developed a cooperative program with hotels to bring travel agents and meeting planners to major trade shows and other hospitality events . “ We ’ re delivering the important message that Puerto Rico is open and ready for business ,” Dean says .
The 90-room Emerald Beach Resort , which housed relief workers and contractors after Irma and Maria devastated St . Thomas , reopened for public bookings in February . Filling rooms isn ’ t difficult , GM Joel Kling says . Still , Emerald Beach is offering rates of 40 % off , with room nights as low as US $ 175 . “ We ’ ve wanted to capture customers that planned to go to Puerto Rico , or that wanted a ( non-U . S .) Caribbean island but didn ’ t have a passport ,” Kling says .
On Saint Barthélemy , the Oetker Collection ’ s 34-room Eden Rock-St . Barths ( with published daily rates above US $ 2,500 ) has taken a year to rebuild and plans to reopen on December 22 , GM Fabrice Moizan says . Amid the reconstruction , he connected with travel agents and guests ( half of the resort ’ s visitors are regulars ). That included a monthly email , calls with travel agents every few months , postings on Instagram and Facebook , and a video promotion . Moizan says the resort is largely booked through the holiday season and into early next year .
St . Maarten also was shattered . Of the 5,000 rooms available across the island before the storm , fewer than 2,000 were bookable as of August , according to a spokesman for the St . Maarten Tourist
A rendering of Eden Rock-St . Barth ' s Remy Bar ; the hotel has taken a year to rebuild .
Board . Sonesta St . Maarten Resorts was preparing to reopen its 129-suite adults-only Ocean Point Resort on November 15 , while its family-friendly , 416-room Maho Beach Resort Casino & Spa is aiming for February 1 .
Eliska Hesova , Sonesta St . Maarten Resorts ’ director of revenue and business development , says the hotels are publicizing the reopenings through email blasts , social media , press releases and updates for tour operators .
“ It ’ s important to regain confidence and to offer pricing that will be in line with other competing islands that were less or not affected ,” she says . “ Guests may feel hesitant coming into St . Maarten after such devastation , especially booking a resort that is still under reconstruction .” The hotels are offering a 5 % to 10 % early booking bonus and other incentives .
The 210-unit Divi Little Bay Beach Resort had a soft open in May and planned to be fully open by October , says Director of Marketing Beverley David . The resort has run promotions including a photo shoot with the New England Patriots ’ cheerleaders for its 2019 calendar , “ which showcased St . Maarten ,” David says . “ It helped the island , which needs all the help it can get .”
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