Tweet
all Jamaicans. Yes JA is at the forefront of the tourist industry. Only time will tell if my predictions were wrong.
US$120-m Italian Village newest gem in Sandals crown
Butch Stewart a symbol of pride for all Jamaicans, says Golding
BY DESMOND ALLEN Executive Editor - Operations allend@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
WHATEVER Gordon 'Butch' Stewart touches turns to gold. Or diamond in the case of the spanking new 180-room Italian Village that has just lit up the Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa in Providenciales at a cost of US$120 million.
The Italian Village at the Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa in all its splendour. (Photos: Joseph Wellington)
Joe Cinque, chairman of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, was an obviously proud man as he presented, on behalf of Donald Trump, two first-time awards - The Six-Star Diamond Green Award to Beaches for its impressive friend-of-the-environment programmes and the Six-Star Diamond to the Italian Village for world-class facilities.
The only surprise was that the Italian Village, opened in January but officially launched only last Saturday, had received its first award, and a big one at that, already so soon. But the more than 1,100 guests at the launch ceremony had no doubt why. The Village is luxury personified.
Cinque said his Academy of Hospitality Sciences had never before presented such major awards to any Caribbean resort in that category, and then only to two - in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
"Tonight, history is being made," he said, as Butch Stewart and his son, Adam Stewart, the Sandals CEO accepted the awards to cheers from the crowd filled with world celebrities.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding (3rd left) joins Butch (6th left), his daughter Sabrina Stewart (7th left), son Adam Stewart (8th left) and guests who jointly cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the Italian Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa.
Jamaica's prime minister, Bruce Golding who hopped over from a big local government conference in The Bahamas to join new premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Galmo Williams at the ceremony, told the Stewarts: "You are a source of great pride for all Jamaicans."
Adam Stewart and Kevin Froemming, president of Unique Vacations, worldwide representatives of Sandals/ Beaches/Royal Plantation/Grand Pineapple resorts, steered the proceedings that were fanned by a brisk evening breeze that followed earlier rain that held up just in time.
Former New York governor, George Pataki; TCI governor, Gordon Wetherall; TCI tourism minister, Wayne Garland; St Lucia's tourism minister, Alan Chastanet; Antigua's finance minister, Harold Lovell; communications minister, Guy Joseph of St Lucia; Jamaica's tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett and information minister, Daryl Vaz were among the officials sharing in the festivities.
Sandals Chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart (left) proudly takes possession of the Six-Star Diamond Award presented to him by Joe Cinque, chairman of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.
The ceremony in Providenciales lived up to Butch's well-established reputation for grandeur, not the least of which was the chartering of a jet to take Jamaican guests and their families from Montego Bay and Kingston, as well as spellbinding fireworks, an array of international news organisations, synchronised swimmers adorning the half-acre-long pool, the second largest in the Caribbean, performances by Run DMC and the now familiar Sesame Street characters in carnival.
Speech after speech sounded what is also a familiar refrain: "The visionary genius that is Gordon 'Butch' Stewart."
Premier Williams said: "The Caribbean is very fortunate to have you, and we salute you tonight, Butch Stewart. My government and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands will continue to foster our partnership with Sandals/Beaches and we recommit to working with you."
TCI Premier Galmo Williams (right) gets the full attention of Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts during the opening ceremony for the Italian Village in Providenciales last Saturday.
Golding, at his eloquent best, marvelled at how Stewart was opening a hotel "in these extraordinary circumstances".
"We are going through the worst global turmoil that we have ever seen in our lifetime; many businesses are in retreat, many businesses are reeling; conglomerates are slipping and sliding, yet Butch Stewart is skipping along."
He described the Italian Village as "a powerfully appealing product" and "a signature of Butch Stewart and his vision that has driven this enormous story that has been Sandals".
Governor Wetherall said the project was an added jewel in the Stewart family crown and in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Chastanet suggested that it was "people who are passionate about practice" who succeed and not necessarily the geniuses. Garland noted that when Stewart first came to the TCI, there were no paved roads and no consistent airlift. Today all that had been reversed and there were several daily flights to the island.
Bartlett said he had never seen one man receive two Six-Star Diamond awards in one night and described Stewart as "a mogul of tourism in the western hemisphere". Lovell was taken by the "sheer magnificence and majesty" of the Italian Village and Butch's "outstanding leadership of the regional tourism industry".
Steve Gorga of Travel Impressions said that of the 180 properties worldwide that his company handled, Sandals/Beaches was the largest and best. Travel Weekly's publisher Bob Sullivan hailed Stewart's "innovativeness and creativity which never ends". And Virgin Travel's Caron McFarlane testified that Sandals/Beaches was the best resort handled by her company, adding that the business was made "100 per cent easier" by the quality of service and product.
In a brief response, Stewart said the region's leadership was in good hands, given the personalities who were tourism ministers and officials. He thanked the people "from all walks of life who have come together to make tonight such a beautiful possibility".
US$120-m Italian Village newest gem in Sandals crown
Butch Stewart a symbol of pride for all Jamaicans, says Golding
BY DESMOND ALLEN Executive Editor - Operations allend@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
WHATEVER Gordon 'Butch' Stewart touches turns to gold. Or diamond in the case of the spanking new 180-room Italian Village that has just lit up the Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa in Providenciales at a cost of US$120 million.
The Italian Village at the Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa in all its splendour. (Photos: Joseph Wellington)Joe Cinque, chairman of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, was an obviously proud man as he presented, on behalf of Donald Trump, two first-time awards - The Six-Star Diamond Green Award to Beaches for its impressive friend-of-the-environment programmes and the Six-Star Diamond to the Italian Village for world-class facilities.
The only surprise was that the Italian Village, opened in January but officially launched only last Saturday, had received its first award, and a big one at that, already so soon. But the more than 1,100 guests at the launch ceremony had no doubt why. The Village is luxury personified.
Cinque said his Academy of Hospitality Sciences had never before presented such major awards to any Caribbean resort in that category, and then only to two - in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
"Tonight, history is being made," he said, as Butch Stewart and his son, Adam Stewart, the Sandals CEO accepted the awards to cheers from the crowd filled with world celebrities.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding (3rd left) joins Butch (6th left), his daughter Sabrina Stewart (7th left), son Adam Stewart (8th left) and guests who jointly cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the Italian Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa.Jamaica's prime minister, Bruce Golding who hopped over from a big local government conference in The Bahamas to join new premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Galmo Williams at the ceremony, told the Stewarts: "You are a source of great pride for all Jamaicans."
Adam Stewart and Kevin Froemming, president of Unique Vacations, worldwide representatives of Sandals/ Beaches/Royal Plantation/Grand Pineapple resorts, steered the proceedings that were fanned by a brisk evening breeze that followed earlier rain that held up just in time.
Former New York governor, George Pataki; TCI governor, Gordon Wetherall; TCI tourism minister, Wayne Garland; St Lucia's tourism minister, Alan Chastanet; Antigua's finance minister, Harold Lovell; communications minister, Guy Joseph of St Lucia; Jamaica's tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett and information minister, Daryl Vaz were among the officials sharing in the festivities.
Sandals Chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart (left) proudly takes possession of the Six-Star Diamond Award presented to him by Joe Cinque, chairman of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.The ceremony in Providenciales lived up to Butch's well-established reputation for grandeur, not the least of which was the chartering of a jet to take Jamaican guests and their families from Montego Bay and Kingston, as well as spellbinding fireworks, an array of international news organisations, synchronised swimmers adorning the half-acre-long pool, the second largest in the Caribbean, performances by Run DMC and the now familiar Sesame Street characters in carnival.
Speech after speech sounded what is also a familiar refrain: "The visionary genius that is Gordon 'Butch' Stewart."
Premier Williams said: "The Caribbean is very fortunate to have you, and we salute you tonight, Butch Stewart. My government and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands will continue to foster our partnership with Sandals/Beaches and we recommit to working with you."
TCI Premier Galmo Williams (right) gets the full attention of Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts during the opening ceremony for the Italian Village in Providenciales last Saturday.Golding, at his eloquent best, marvelled at how Stewart was opening a hotel "in these extraordinary circumstances".
"We are going through the worst global turmoil that we have ever seen in our lifetime; many businesses are in retreat, many businesses are reeling; conglomerates are slipping and sliding, yet Butch Stewart is skipping along."
He described the Italian Village as "a powerfully appealing product" and "a signature of Butch Stewart and his vision that has driven this enormous story that has been Sandals".
Governor Wetherall said the project was an added jewel in the Stewart family crown and in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Chastanet suggested that it was "people who are passionate about practice" who succeed and not necessarily the geniuses. Garland noted that when Stewart first came to the TCI, there were no paved roads and no consistent airlift. Today all that had been reversed and there were several daily flights to the island.
Bartlett said he had never seen one man receive two Six-Star Diamond awards in one night and described Stewart as "a mogul of tourism in the western hemisphere". Lovell was taken by the "sheer magnificence and majesty" of the Italian Village and Butch's "outstanding leadership of the regional tourism industry".
Steve Gorga of Travel Impressions said that of the 180 properties worldwide that his company handled, Sandals/Beaches was the largest and best. Travel Weekly's publisher Bob Sullivan hailed Stewart's "innovativeness and creativity which never ends". And Virgin Travel's Caron McFarlane testified that Sandals/Beaches was the best resort handled by her company, adding that the business was made "100 per cent easier" by the quality of service and product.
In a brief response, Stewart said the region's leadership was in good hands, given the personalities who were tourism ministers and officials. He thanked the people "from all walks of life who have come together to make tonight such a beautiful possibility".
Comment