Interesting article in the May 28, 2021 TC Weekly News about Reef Divers expansion to South Caicos .
This article says the JEM Worldwide has taken over management of the property but the more recent Cayman Compass article said that JEM Worldwide had purchased the East Bay Resort. Maybe they were finalizing the purchase agreement before announcing their expansion?
I wonder what they mean by "making sure the airport gets done"?
East Bay Resort to get new management with improved amenities
East Bay Resort to get new management with improved amenities
East Bay Resort in South Caicos is the first luxury hotel in ‘The Big South’ (Image: East Bay Resort/Facebook)
Delana Isles•
May 28, 2021
An investor from the Cayman Islands has struck a deal with the TCI Government to take control of East Bay Resort in South Caicos.
This was revealed by Deputy Premier Hon. Erwin Jay Saunders on Thursday, May 20, during a post Cabinet briefing with the media.
Hon. Saunders said the company is looking to make the resort into an extension of its property in the Cayman Islands.
Cabinet has since approved a development order regarding the expansion proposal by JEM TCI Holdings for the TCI resort.
"They’re going to scale up and do more development with that. So people of South Caicos should expect bigger things coming from the East Bay hotel,” Saunders said.
The minister added that the investor already has investment in East Caicos and is now looking to take over the management of the East Bay resort.
"And they’re looking into having direct flights into South Caicos, so they are negotiating with the Government about making sure the airport gets done.”
This will mean more tourists visiting the sister island, which according to the deputy premier is a good thing,
"It is a pretty nice hotel and it’s probably being operated as a three star… you’ll certainly see their quality of service raised.”
Hon. Saunders said that along with an increase in the quality of service, more job opportunities will open up for residents in the island.
"At the minimum it will reduce the unemployment rate, because as they scale up they will need to hire more persons.
"South Caicos’ population is about 1,000, so hiring 50 more people would be a huge change for South Caicos, and of course beautify South Caicos because the Government is ensuring that as the airport gets done we will have to put in more infrastructure to cater to East Bay… and we’ve got another resort that’s a five star resort.”
All of this, the deputy premier said, will mean more money circulating in the South Caicos economy and more jobs, which he said will have a "huge impact” on the economy of the island.
Located on the pristine East Bay beach, East Bay Resort was the first luxury resort in South Caicos.
The four star resort is 100 percent beachfront and offers a host of luxury amenities, rivalling almost any five star facility on Providenciales.
Guests can enjoy a beachfront pool, swim-up bar, open-air restaurant, spa, fitness centre, tour desk, PADI-certified dive shop, tennis court, and free airport transfers among others.
The hotel advertises itself as "an affordable alternative to expensive Turks and Caicos all inclusive resorts”, winning the Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice award over two consecutive years - 2019 and 2020 - among other notable awards.