PM Douglas welcomes advent of St. Kitts Marriott Vacation Club
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| (L-R) Manager of Marriott vacation Club International, Pieter Knot; PM Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas and Minister of State responsible for Tourism Hon. Richard Skerritt cut the ribbon |
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – DURING a short ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the St. Kitts Marriott Vacation Club International, Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas welcomed the growth and expansion of the resort and declared that it will undoubtedly continue making a positive impact on the people of St. Kitts-Nevis.
“The trajectory is good. The trend lines are as we would like them to be here in St. Kitts and Nevis. And this is reflective of the type of investment climate that my government has worked so very hard to maintain, and will continue to work to maintain, despite the very harsh realities now bedevilling global financial markets around us.
“I want you to reflect for a moment on the extra work that will be provided for our taxi operators, the extra work that will be provided for our tour operators, the enormous number of additional services that will be required of the vendors here in St. Kitts and Nevis and of course as we move in the next phase of the Marriott Vacation Club International development, we expect positive impact on the construction industry which for the last 8 years has been one of the leading productive sector in the expansion and growth of the economy of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“We must recognize that the Marriott Vacation Club International has identified the St. Kitts Resort to be the Resort of Year for 2007 and 2008. When you consider that so far we have 66 units available, and there is no doubt that we would have sold 50 weeks of time share and when we recognize that at least four groups of people will be occupying these at a time, this type of investment has brought to St. Kitts-Nevis an additional 13,000 new visitors. This is as a result of the presence of the Marriott Vacation Club International here in St. Kitts.” ~~Adz:Right~~
Prime Minister Douglas indicated his government’s high hopes for the resort since its ground breaking ceremony about six years ago and added that over the years, the complex has evolved to “represent tourism development in a significant way in St. Kitts-Nevis”.
Douglas said the development project has expanded along the lines “that can only be good for the investors and for the people of St. Kitts-Nevis”, and stressed that the new component is an “important and welcomed part of this growth and expansion”.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Marriott Vacation Club International on reaching its 25th anniversary and raised his glass in recognition of the “significant statement being made here” by the Club. Dr. Douglas, along with Minister of State responsible for Tourism Hon. Richard Skerritt and Manager of the Vacation club Pieter Knot cut the ribbon before taking a tour of one of the 22 new units.
The Marriott Vacation Club International (St. Kitts) has seen the completion of 66 of the planned 88 units and boasts lavish villas for the resort’s time share service. Each villa houses state-of-the-art kitchen and bathroom facilities, living and dining areas, and master and guest bedrooms offering spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.
