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  • 11 hours ago
An annual visitor spend of over two hundred million dollars can be realised, with the completed construction and operationalisation of the Marriott hotel in Tobago.

This from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she along with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and director of Superior Hotels Limited John Aboud turned the sod for the project on Tuesday, at Rockly Point.

The project to be built at no cost to tax payers , will cost over five hundred million dollars.

More from Elizabeth Williams.
Transcript
00:00Projected annual resort revenue of U.S. $19 million combined with benchmarks of roughly $2 spent outside for every dollar
00:11spent on a room, we should point about $30 to $40 million U.S. dollars, $200 to $275 million in
00:21annual visitor spending.
00:23Prime Minister Kamala Passar-Bissessa spoke at Rockley Point on Tuesday night during the sub-tuning ceremony to signal the
00:31start of the upcoming Marriott project, which is being done by the private sector at no cost to the taxpayer.
00:39All-inclusive offerings is under consideration.
00:41I am told the estimated investment is about $540 million T.T. dollars, which could provide about 600 construction jobs,
00:54and that the construction will take us to about 30 months for commencement.
00:59We intend to keep you to that, Ms. Aboud. 30 months takes me right before my next election. So I
01:05would like you to keep your promise. Promise made, promise kept. In 30 months' time, we come back to open
01:11this hotel.
01:12Director of Superior Hotels Limited, John Aboud, said the Tobago Marriott is set to be the flagship establishment, with adherence
01:22to the preservation of the environment, as mandated by the EMA.
01:27This hotel resort is intended to become our flagship property, with construction anticipated to take approximately 30 months from commencement.
01:39I am aware of the concerns raised by certain stakeholders.
01:45I want to assure everyone that we remain fully committed to complying with all the requirements under the EMA, as
01:58well as every other applicable approval.
02:01Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, in delivering his remarks, lamented the bottlenecks of the land license, with some international investors waiting
02:12for over five years to receive approvals for where and when hotels in Tobago are to be built.
02:18He then made this announcement.
02:21So, in a week's time, you will see the request for expression of interest going out for the marina in
02:30Tobago.
02:31In a few weeks' time, you will see expressions of interest going out, or RFPs going out, rather, for development
02:37works in Scarborough, as we redo the city of Scarborough.
02:44Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
02:51Press the question now.