Moon Palace Resorts to build 1,350 rooms in MoBay
Published:Tuesday | October 29, 2024 | 12:10 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Montego Bay, St James is poised to get an additional 1,350 hotel rooms as Moon Palace Resorts, which already has a substantial footprint in Jamaica, is set to make its mark in the tourist capital with a new property.
The Montego Bay project will be the resort chain’s second Jamaican hotel. Already, the group operates the over 700-room Moon Palace Jamaica Grand in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
This ambitious project joins the 750-room Hard Rock Hotel currently under construction in Rose Hall, St James, and the 550-room Unico Hotel, marking a significant investment in the region’s hospitality sector. These additions will increase the city’s room stock by 25 per cent, aligning with Jamaica’s tourism growth strategy.
These announcements were made by Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett during a dinner attended by sector stakeholders at Half Moon Hotel last Wednesday night.
Bartlett emphasised the remarkable progress Montego Bay has made over the past 12 years in becoming a centre of influence within Jamaica. He praised the dedication of individuals who have contributed to the city’s growth, stating, “We’ve come to know some wonderful people who worked assiduously to create and build the systems and structures that enable us to speak about the growth of this great city.”
He underscored Montego Bay’s evolution, not only as a tourism hub but emerging as a burgeoning knowledge centre, with several universities establishing campuses in the area. The University of the West Indies; the University of Technology, Jamaica; and the Caribbean Maritime University are among the educational institutions that have campuses in the tourism capital.
Bartlett also discussed a housing initiative in collaboration with the National Housing Trust, focusing on the development of 1,500 homes in Grange Pen, above Barrett Town.
Beyond the physical developments, Bartlett highlighted the importance of investing in human capital alongside infrastructure. He has championed a Human Capital Scholarship Programme that has graduated thousands of students over the past 27 years, producing professionals across various fields. He expressed pride in the accomplishments of these graduates, many of whom are making significant contributions both locally and internationally.
“The greatest level of satisfaction I’ve had is about the transformation of lives,” he stated, reflecting on the journeys of past students and their positive impact on society.