Above: the new Best Western Premier in Haiti (Photos: OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti President Michel Martelly led the official inauguration Thursday of the new Best Western Premier hotel in Port-au-Prince’s Petion-Ville neighbourhood.

The $15 million hotel is the product of a partnership between Dallas-based Aimbridge Hospitality, Haiti-based Carabimmo SA and Best Western International. It first opened its doors to guts last week.

“One of the strengths of this Best Western in Petion-Ville is international and local character,” said Stanley Handal of Haiti-based Carabimmo.

Above: the lobby of the Best Western Premier

Martelly thanked the investors in the project, saying they “made the right choice — to believe in the profitability of investments in Haiti.”

“When we get together, when the public sector combines with the efforts of the private sector, change is coming,” Martelly said. “You will leave your mark, by creating jobs, first in construction and then in services — so you contribute to the promotion of tourism, generating foreign exchange and employment.”

Above: Haiti Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin, investor Stanley Handal, President Michel Martelly by PM Laurent Lamothe and Mark Williams, VP at  Best Western International

It’s the second major hotel to open in Petion-Ville since December, following the Royal Oasis, a project by Spanish firm Occidental.

Another Spanish hotel, the NH El Rancho, is also projected to open in 2013.