by Linda Straker
- Grenadian by Rex rebranded Starfish Grenada Resort on 1 December
- Alliance expected to enhance tourism and airlift to Grenada
- Group to make additional investment and enhancement of properties
Patrick Creighton, spokesperson for the Rex Resorts said that not only will there be a new name for Rex properties in Grenada and other regional territories, but there will also be additional investment and enhancement of the properties.
“Rex Resorts has entered into a strategic alliance with the Sunwing Travel Group effective 1 December 2018. At that time, The Grenadian by Rex Resorts will be rebranded Starfish Grenada Resort,” said Creighton.
“This strategic alliance between Rex Resorts and Sunwing will allow for additional investment and enhancements at each location; that’s part of this agreement,” Creighton said in an email in response to other inquiries about the partnership between Sunwing Travel Group and MRI management, the owners of Rex Properties in the region. “It’s our expectation that government will be supportive of this exciting alliance, which will enhance tourism and airlift to Grenada,” he added.
On 2 October 2018, Sunwing announced that the group’s hotel division would begin operating 6 of Rex Resorts’ Caribbean hotels as part of a newly formed strategic alliance, effective 1 December. As part of this landmark agreement, Sunwing’s growing hotel division plans to make significant improvements to each of the resorts over the coming years.
“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. He added, “We look forward to increasing tourism in Grenada, Tobago and Barbados as we have recently done in St Lucia and Antigua.”
Alison Palin of Rex Resorts also welcomed the news. “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. We look forward to the continued support of our valued employees, local suppliers and tour operators as we finalise this exciting and transformational agreement.”
The 6 Rex Resorts will be absorbed within two of the hotel division’s brands: the new luxury boutique hotel collection, Mystique Resorts and the popular mid-market chain, Starfish Resorts. Mystique Royal St Lucia will be the second addition to the Mystique Resorts brand, with the first opening later this month in Holbox, Mexico. The Starfish Resorts brand will see 5 new additions: 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.
The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of two leading leisure tour operators, Sunwing Vacations and Vacation Express; Sunwing Airlines, Canada’s premier leisure airline; SunwingJets, a luxury private jet charter service; together with the group’s own travel retail businesses, SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings.
Blue Diamond Resorts is the group’s hotel division, an innovative organisation that operates popular resort brands including Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts, Royalton Luxury Resorts, CHIC by Royalton Luxury Resorts, Memories Resorts & Spa, Starfish Resorts and Mystique Resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico. NexusTours is a full-service destination management company offering affordably priced and reliable ground transportation, popular tours and excursions, as well as other travel management services.
