Sandals Grenada will be the latest Sandals Resort to reopen its doors after a six-month closure brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Monday September 21st the resort began preparations by bringing back out close to 600 team members for enhanced training in its well established Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness. These measures ensure the strictest health and hygiene guidelines and have allowed the company to successfully reopen several other resorts in Antigua, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Barbados.
Sandals will also be working closely with local stakeholders including the Ministry of Heath, the Chief Medical Officer and Airport officials to ensure that all systems are in place to successfully welcome guests back to Grenada from October 1st. The resort company has announced that it is also sharing its protocols with the industry in Grenada so that visitors – no matter where they are staying – will have confidence to visit the island.
It was welcome news for the Ministers of Tourism and Health, particularly since tourism accounts for almost 60% of Grenada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
During a recent stakeholder meeting hosted by the company at Sandals Grenada, Tourism Minister the Hon. Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen assured that Grenada was ready to start operating in the new normal, and recognized Sandals Resorts and Chairman the Hon. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart for leading the way toward recovery.
“Over 4,000 persons have been directly impacted by the closure of tourism,” according to the Minister, who added that, “Many others such as farmers, fishermen and suppliers are also feeling the fallout.” The Minister went on to say, “Tourism is everybody’s business and impacts everyone’s lives. We can stay closed and just lie down, but we do not want to do that. It’s easy to be scared but when we see how Sandals has successfully opened and is willing to share its protocols with the rest of the industry it shows that partnerships can work. Together we can fight this scourge, we are ready, let’s do it.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Minister of Health Nicholas Steele, who noted that while Grenada has done exceptionally well so far to protect the lives of its citizens – and is fortunate that it has no active coronavirus cases at present and has suffered zero deaths – the time has now come to also protect their livelihoods.
“Keeping Grenada locked is not a reality,” Minister Steele said, “We know we have to live with COVID, and we are confident that by October 1st we will get it right.”
President of the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association Jerry Rappaport also added his voice to those who were glad to see the leading role Sandals was playing in helping reopen and get the economy restarted in Grenada, offering GHTA’s full support.
Chairman of Sandal Resorts International the Hon. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart was pleased about the news that Grenada would soon be welcoming visitors once more, noting that Sandals has always enjoyed a special relationship with the island and its amazing people.
Mr. Stewart stated, “I believe all stakeholders must do what is necessary to help revive the tourism sector so that the entire community – taxi drivers, farmers, fishermen, tour operators, service providers and all those who depend on it – are able to earn and take care of themselves and their families. We are proud that Sandals Resorts is helping to lead the way to economic recovery.”
