The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SANDALS executives said yesterday that while they expected some staff turnover when the $2.6 billion Baha Mar resort becomes operational in late 2014, it was confident its strong brand power would sustain the business.

Wayne Cummings, director of business processes and administration, told Tribune Business that while Baha Mar had not gone unnoticed, Sandals was taking its own steps to boost its brand and prepare for added competition in the Nassau market.

Speaking with Tribune Business at the the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Marketplace, Mr Cummings said: “We operate here in a destination that is evolving, so we can’t stick our head in the sand and deny it.

“We know that they are coming, and coming out fresh and going to be new. We have noticed them. What we have been doing is constantly taking our product upwards, constantly improving and ensuring that the market always understands that we are always different. We are luxury included. We are going to continue to do our business.”

Mr Cummings added that while the resort may lose some staff to Baha Mar, it was also taking steps to prepare for that.

“Will we lose some staff? It’s a free market, free world, and people will want some opportunities,” Mr Cummings said.

“We are training for those very same opportunities. Are those employees disloyal? No, they are looking for their own personal opportunities. We are going to train more than the next hotel can. We are going to prepare more people to come into our property. I think we are going to see less of a vacuum than those who don’t do what we are preparing to do.

“We have experienced this in Jamaica and St Lucia; we are preparing for it. I think our customers know who we are, what we represent and we are going to be fine.”

Mr Cummings added: “I think Baha Mar will give a lift to everyone. Nassau has had its challenges, the hotels have gotten older and they are putting a lot of good money in the ground.

“We wish them well because more planes are going to come and we are not turning our backs to it. You have to define your difference; we spent 31 years defining our difference. Competition will come and we will keep doing our business.

“The upgrades that we did to what is now called the Balmoral block were significant. We spent almost $20 million on that project,” Mr Cummings said.

“It’s fantastic, brand new and just in time for all of the development taking place on Cable Beach with Baha Mar and everyone else but, more importantly, to re-position the hotel within our own company.

“We have already started talking about some work on the Windsor block. We are also talking about some food and beverage upgrades as well. We have launched across the entire company a discover dining programme, which means that we are refocusing our food and beverage team.”