Sunwing Travel Group Announces $400M Joint Development with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda
TORONTO, ON. - June 9, 2015. The Sunwing Travel Group has signed an agreement with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to develop a 500-room all-inclusive resort under the award-winning Royalton™ Luxury Resorts brand on the famed white sands of Deep Bay, Antigua. Construction will commence this summer on The Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa, as well as a residential complex with over 200 condominium units. Slated to open in 2017, this $400M development is expected to represent 2,000 new jobs for Antigua and a massive injection to the economy in the form of incremental tourist dollars.
"We are very pleased with this new partnership and what it means for the people of Antigua," said the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, adding that, "Tourism is vital to our economy and this partnership secures significant growth in revenue and jobs for the years to come."
Sunwing Travel Group, North America's largest vertically-integrated travel company, will also be using its subsidiary Sunwing Airlines to add new flights from key source markets which are expected to represent 30,000 incremental visitors to the island in the first year of operation.
NexusTours, the Group's full-service destination management company, will also support this tourism revitalization through the promotion and sale of local excursions and attractions. Sales for the island's newest tourism product will greatly benefit from the strength of the Sunwing Travel Group's distribution arm, which includes reputable brands such as Sunwing Vacations, Signature Vacations, Vacation Express, SellOffVacations.com, and LUXE Destination Weddings.
"The island of Antigua has an incredible amount to offer and is an ideal location for a Royalton Luxury Resort. Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his administration understand the needs of the modern traveller and have shown great vision and initiative to create the right conditions for investment," said Stephen Hunter, President & CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. "Royalton Luxury Resorts offer guests a modern All-In Luxury™ experience with their investment into features such as the premium, handcrafted DreamBed™, unlimited reservation-free luxury dining, 'round the clock concierge, 'All-In Connectivity' with complimentary WiFi and long distance calling, a unique Sports Event Guarantee, and a kids club featuring famous characters. Royalton Luxury Resorts have been recognized by esteemed sources such as TripAdvisor™ for excellence in their category."
Both parties signed off on the project at an official event hosted by special economic envoy to Antigua and Barbuda, Robert DeNiro, on Monday night. The event, which was held at the prestigious 21 Club in Manhattan, New York, was attended by the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Honourable Asot Michael, Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy and over 150 high carriage travel agents, media and special invited guests.
For more information, visit www.royaltonresorts.com
About Sunwing Travel Group
The largest vertically integrated travel business in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of Sunwing Vacations, the leading leisure tour operator in Canada; Sunwing Airlines, Canada's premier leisure airline; Signature Vacations, one of Canada's leading tour operators for all inclusive package vacations and Vacation Express, a growing tour operator in the United States, together with the Group's own travel retail businesses SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings. Blue Diamond Resorts is the Sunwing Travel Group's innovative hotel management company, operating resorts under the 'Royalton', 'CHIC by Royalton', 'Memories', and 'Starfish' brands across the Caribbean, Cuba and Mexico; while NexusTours provides destination management services to individuals, agencies, tour groups, corporate businesses and tour operators.
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