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New owners at Marriott Resort
Friday, July 7, 2006
Six months after the Marriott Resort Grand Cayman management announced that the resort had been elevated to a four-star diamond status comes word that there is a change of ownership.
The Marriott, which is located on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, is now actually owned by Marriott International, which bought it from a franchise in the US.
Managing Director of Marriott Resort Grand Cayman, Chris Sariego, told Cayman Net News that the switch in ownership became effective on Friday, 30 June 2006.
The Marriott continues to operate under the same local managers with no staff layoffs, according to him.
Mr Sariego said that guests would not immediately notice the change but for the staff it would be “phenomenal”, given the “tremendous opportunities” available at the parent company.
For the staff, he said Marriott International offered career growth through training and jobs at its 2,700 hotels and resorts worldwide.
He added that the future of the resort’s Cayman employees looks very good, with Marriott International having an excellent training programme and the tools for employee development.
The resort’s guests would in the near future experience a higher level of service to reflect the constant improvements in products, he said.
Another area the Marriott would benefit from is the rigorous audit system implemented by the head office in Maryland in the United States.
Mr Sariego, in January, gave Tourism Minister Hon. Charles Clifford and the local media a tour of the property, which underwent a US$16 million renovation and refurbishment.
He said during the tour of the 307-room resort that all areas including service quality were upgraded, taking it from a three-star to a four-star property.
He said the multi-million dollar improvements point to an expanded campaign aimed at visitors who normally holiday in other destinations.
“I think we have achieved our goal, now it’s just to let the rest of the world know that we’re here, and to come and enjoy their vacation at the Marriott,” he said.
“What’s next is for us to reposition ourselves as a very strong hotel in the Cayman Islands and to bring in customers and clients who have been choosing other islands.”
He listed the US, Canada and South America as the destinations that would be targeted for the Caymanian experience in an extensive promotional campaign.
In welcoming the developments at the Marriott in January, Mr Clifford said it reflected the Island’s focus on upscale market tourism.
“We market the Cayman Islands as the premier upscale destination in the Caribbean so the product must reflect that fact, and I think this is absolutely fabulous what they have been able to do here,” he said.
Mr Clifford promised the Marriott management his administration’s support in providing the Island with the highest quality accommodation and service.
“We’re prepared to continue to work with him and his team to ensure that the Marriott continues to be a significant player in Cayman Islands’ tourism,” he said.
Mr Sariego said the Marriott Resort Grand Cayman has been having a very good showing in service quality, which is currently at 90 percent.
With strong bookings already established for the upcoming winter season, the Marriott management rates this summer as “excellent” with over 70 percent occupancy so far.
Overall, he said, the resort has been performing extremely well in the post-Hurricane Ivan period.
Many of the hotels, resorts and condominiums were badly affected on Grand Cayman in September 2004 following the passage of the fierce storm.
In an interview last month with Cayman Net News, Executive Director of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, Ken Thompson, said that accommodation sector was doing extremely well.
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