The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Sunwing Travel Group is gearing up in anticipation of a busy Christmas season with the revamped Reef Village on schedule to open under its Memories Hotel & Resorts brand late this Fall, executives telling this newspaper that the resort would inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the Grand Bahama economy over the next few years.

In a formal response to questions by Tribune Business Janine Chapman, vice-president of marketing for the Sunwing Travel Group said: “As the owners of the property, Hutchison are doing the renovations and we understand from them that they are on schedule for a late Fall opening and we anticipate being fully prepared for the busy Christmas season. This project represents a significant financial investment from Hutchison and the Sunwing Travel Group, and is expected to contribute to the creation of about 1,000 new jobs as well as injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy over the next few years.” Vacation Express, a division of the Canadian based travel group, is expected to begin service between the US and Grand Bahama starting in Spring 2014.

In a recent interview with Tribune Business, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe revealed that discussions had been held over upgrades to Grand Bahama International Airport, owned jointly by Hutchison and the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA). “The Sunwing Travel Group will be sending six commercial aircraft into Grand Bahama each week and I believe that all parties agree that airport upgrades are required in order to service the increased volume and consolidate arrival and departure operations into the same terminal,” said Chapman. “We are very pleased to be part of such a positive development for the people of Grand Bahama” said Stephen Hunter, CEO of the Sunwing Travel Group, adding, “this project could not have been realized without the tremendous support, influence, and vision of the Prime Minister and his aides”.