By the Caribbean Journal staff

Grenada needs to introduce a flagship hotel in order to promote itself on the world stage, according to Michael McIntyre, chairman of Grenada’s Airlift Committee.

“Venturing into an area like this will result in greater exposure for the island,” he said. “That is one of the areas we are lacking in because we have not yet found a top-notch hotel to come to do business with us.”

McIntyre, who was speaking on a morning radio show, referenced the presence of Sandals hotels in Jamaica and Antigua, which, he said, had seen “significant improvement” in their tourism industries since the hotel company started there. (See Caribbean Journal’s interview with Sandals founder Butch Stewart here)

Tourism Minister Peter David and the Grenada Tourism Association’s Ian Dabreo both support the idea, he said.

“Boosting the tourism industry by adding a five-star hotel is a good idea,” Dabreo said. “The government needs to play their part; be creative and create some form of investment for Grenadians to help lift the hotel sector.”

Grenada’s current room stock is between 1200 and 1500, McIntyre said.