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Draft Final Report, 19 th July, 2012
24. EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY THE TOURISM
PRODUCT
24.1 ACCOMMODATION
Montserrat has neither the natural assets nor the infrastructure
to develop a large scale beach resort product, which is the
hallmark of destinations such as Barbados, St. Maarten,
Jamaica.
However, Montserrat does have the potential to develop the
smaller scale beach/mountain resort product – 4* and 5*
quality hotels in the 20 to 40 room category, environmentally
sensitive, designed so as to be non-intrusive, with limited
facilities (swimming pool, tennis, gardens). The concept is of
seclusion, luxury standards, high quality service, excellent
food and relaxation provided in a property designed and
operated in harmony with the surrounding environment.
Between these two is the medium sized resort property – 100
to 200 rooms. To be commercially successful as a standalone
product, these properties have to have an excellent
beach front and a wide range of top quality facilities to include
an 18-hole championship golf course, a number of good
restaurants, top quality service and good access. An example
of this type of product is the Four Seasons Resort on Nevis –
196 rooms + suites, excellent beach, 18-hole golf course and
other facilities. Access is by private launch (or charter flight)
from St. Kitts.
In addition to the small/medium sized resort, there is also
considerable potential for the B&B/ Inn accommodation
product, such as Olveston House.
Developing resort properties takes time – identifying the
appropriate site, design concepts, planning permission,
funding, construction & landscaping, fitting out, staffing, etc –
perhaps two to three years depending on the size of the
property.
In the meantime, with less than 250 rooms, Montserrat is
critically short of accommodation. In the short term, the most
cost-effective way of augmenting the accommodation stock is
to re-open Vue Pointe. Rehabilitation would take about 9
months resulting in a ‘market – ready’ product of about 20
rooms, with facilities for the small meetings market. To effect
this would necessitate a redrawing of the Exclusion Zone B
boundary, thereby facilitating qualification for insurance and
loan finance and funding support (soft loans, development
equity).
24.2 EXCURSIONISTS/DAY-TRIP PRODUCT
There is undoubted potential for developing the excursionist
product – primarily day trips from Antigua and St. Kitts & Nevis
and cruise ship calls to Montserrat. Although carried out in
2003, a number of the findings from a survey among dayvisitors
to Montserrat concerning their experience are relevant
today. When asked how a day-trip to Montserrat could be
improved, the suggestions included:
• Good interpretation of the volcano before viewing
• Closer viewing of the volcano
• More tourism attractions
• More stopping points
MONTSERRAT TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2012 – 2022
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