(SNO) – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee were among officials who recently visited the Body Holiday Saint Lucia, the world renown luxury all-inclusive health and fitness resort, which has been closed to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion.
The project, which involves the upgrade of at least 100 rooms, is reported to cost $38 million and provides employment for scores of Saint Lucians.
Body Holiday, also known as Le Sport, was voted the fourth best destination spa in the world by Travel & Leisure in 2017, and the renovations are expected to improve on that ranking.
Chastanet spoke of the benefits of the upgrade and expansion to Saint Lucia. He said given the country’s limited landmass, as it is related to tourism development, it is very important to maximize output on a per acre basis.
He said: “The two ways that you can do that is either by adding more density, by adding more rooms, or by upgrading your property so that basically clients are going to pay more and you are providing more services. Those services generate more revenue but also need additional staffing.
Chastanet
Chastanet continued: “So there are two mechanisms in which you can look to be able to improve the output. Economic output on a per acre basis. So Le Sport has always been an amazing brand, really distinguished itself over the years in the market place and I very much cherish and support the idea of becoming number one, because not only is Le Sport brand being number one, but Saint Lucia itself is also strongly being affiliated with being the best.”
Deputy Managing Director, SunSwept Resorts United, Andrew Bernard, said while the upgrade in infrastructure is great, the resort believes it is the service that it provides, that counts.
Andrew
“A huge amount of effort is going into training, new training systems, standard operating procedures and software integration, and good connection to the tour operators in the market, and all these things. So that, as well as the hardware that we work with. We are seeing a big upgrade in the people in our HR compliment systems. It’s gonna really make a difference and we are aiming to be the one number holiday wellness in the world.
Minister Fedee said: “I think it is an amazing feed by a St Lucian home-grown company. I think that all of us, we really have to be proud of what this company has been able to do. They employ on a full-time basis, 400 St Lucians so the economic contribution is significant, with the 155 rooms that they operate here.”
The resort is expected to reopen at the end of this month.
Fedee
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