00:00A project desperately needed for Tobago's tourism sector.
00:05This from property developer Gary Olson, who took TV6 News on a tour of the Elephant Tree Resort and Villa's Tobago Project,
00:13the island's first tapestry collection by Hilton Resort in Roxborough.
00:18We are very excited to be the ones that are kind of breaking the deadlock for accommodations on the island.
00:27Tourism has desperately needed grade A accommodations, and the combination of our project combining with Hilton
00:37is giving us just a wonderful opportunity, both for ourselves and for the island.
00:44Mr. Olson, along with his partner in the business, tour operator Ted Craig, spoke with TV6 News.
00:51The construction details of the project were revealed.
00:53The entire project is 126 villas, a 40-room hotel, two restaurants, three bars, a fitness center, spa, meeting rooms,
01:06all of the amenities that are normally part of a first-class resort.
01:11At this point, the money we've spent is we've completed the infrastructure for the property,
01:18the wastewater treatment plant, the water storage, the storm water.
01:22And with $150 million already injected into the project, villas' completion is slated for approximately four months,
01:31with it becoming operational in 2028.
01:35The first 22 villas are under construction and should be completed in about four months.
01:41After they're done, the contract will be given for the remainder of the 104 villas in the hotel,
01:47and that's an 18-month contract.
01:51So we should be done the end of 27 and become operational early in 28.
01:58Mr. Olson met with the Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism on Monday,
02:03and the Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, on Tuesday.
02:07And I know that you had a meeting with the Chief Secretary.
02:09We've received some recent news a very short time ago
02:14that one of the promises that the Tobago House of Assembly had made to us in the past
02:20is about to get started.
02:22They talked about dredging the rivers and helping to build sluice ways,
02:28which helps us but also benefits the whole community in flood prevention.
02:32Tour operator and partner Ted Craig said residents of Tobago can expect long-term employment opportunities.
02:40We are remarked to have over 200-plus workers post-construction of the development.
02:47Benefits, trickle-down benefits, whether you're supplying agriculture, tour operations,
02:52whether it's diving, bird watching, basic sightseeing.
02:57The community stands to benefit a lot.
02:59Of course, the residences in and around this area, obviously,
03:02is going to be shut up in terms of the quality, in terms of the status.
03:10This development will be airing for five-star standard,
03:13and certainly something such as this, like I said,
03:16is going to change the whole aesthetics of the community.
03:18Talks also continue with international tour operators
03:22concerning booking flights to Tobago.
03:25I've been in this industry for the last 30-plus years.
03:27I'm dealing with a lot of international tour operators,
03:31some of which I've already engaged in discussions with.
03:34They're pretty excited.
03:36Property is coming like this.
03:38Of course, I've been having constant notifications from them
03:43as to when the development is going to be completed.
03:46They're pretty anxious and excited from the UK, from Scandinavia,
03:50some from Canada, the United States.
03:52We're looking at certainly having discussions with a couple of airlines as well
03:57to create packages as well to come in.
04:00We're also focusing on, again, based on the quality of this development,
04:05looking at filling the front of the aircraft and coming in.
04:09Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
04:11Kevin Allen, TV6 News.
04:12Kevin Allen, TV6 News.
04:13Kevin Allen, TV6 News.
04:14Yeah.
04:15Tiffany Égate, TV6 News.
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