By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
Sunwing Travel Group is adding six Caribbean all-inclusive hotels to its ever-expanding regional portfolio.
The company has formed a strategic alliance with hotel group Rex Resorts, according to which Sunwing will operate six of the company’s resorts in the Caribbean.
That includes hotels in Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Tobago.
The new Starfish-branded hotel in Tobago.
“We are excited to be entering into this partnership which reflects our commitment to the CARICOM countries of the Lesser Antilles.” said Stephen Hunter, President & CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. “We look forward to increasing tourism in Grenada, Tobago and Barbados as we have recently done in St. Lucia and Antigua.”
The six Rex Resorts properties will be absorbed into two of Sunwing’s brands: the new boutique brand Mystique Resorts, and the mid-market chain, Starfish Resorts.
Mystique Royal Saint Lucia will be the first Mystique-branded property in the Caribbean; the first Mystique in the wider region is opening in Isla Holbox, Mexico later this month as the Mystique Blue.
Starfish Resorts will see five new properties: Starfish Discovery Bay Resort, Barbados; Starfish Halcyon Cove Resort, Antigua; Starfish St. Lucia Resort, St. Lucia; Starfish Grenada Resort, Grenada and Starfish Tobago Resort, Tobago.
A rendering of the soon-to-debut Mystique Blue Holbox.
“This strategic alliance will enable us to rejuvenate and further enhance these popular resorts which are all situated in prime beach locations. Leveraging Sunwing’s distribution and scale will allow us to boost our occupancy and tighten our operational costs and ultimately position these properties to provide even more value to our guests,” said Alison Palin of Rex Resorts. “We look forward to the continued support of our valued employees, local suppliers and tour operators as we finalize this exciting and transformational agreement.”
The moves solidifies Sunwing’s position as a growing Caribbean power, from its continually-expanding flight network in the region to its Royalton brand, with the latter arguably the fastest-growing hotel company in the Caribbean.
— CJ