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  • 4 months ago
A three hundred and fifty million dollar investment is coming for the people of Tobago. This as property developer Garry Olsen told TV6 News the Elephant Tree Resort and Villas Tobago project, the island's first Tapestry Collection by Hilton resort in Roxborough, is slated to open in 2028 and is well underway. More in this Elizabeth Williams report.
Transcript
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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