Above: Jamaican Tourism Minister Wykeham McNeill

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort and Spa officially opened in St Ann, Jamaica on Saturday.

The resort, which was formerly the Hedonism III property, was acquired by Sagicor Jamaica Group in May and then underwent a $5 million renovation.

It is the third Jewel property to be opened in Jamaica by the Sagicor Group. It will be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality.

The 225-room hotel will create around 300 jobs, according to the government.

“An investment in our tourism product is an investment in our people as it provides employment, exposes our rich cultural heritage to a wider market and generates foreign exchange to support our economy,” said Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill. “The needle is moving in the right direction, and we expect to remain in positive numbers for a good while to come.”

Over the last 18 months, Sagicor has invested more than $50 million in the Jamaican economy, with a total of 741 rooms in operation in the country now under the Jewel brand.