Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

The Spanish Jamaica Foundation has unveiled a number of ambitious plans for the country, and Prime Minister Bruce Golding (left) was all ears during the official opening of the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort on Saturday. Feasting on the fun are hotel owner Don Miguel Fluxa (centre) and Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett - Photo by Janet Silvera

WESTERN BUREAU:

Prime Minister Bruce Golding says discussions are far advanced with Spanish investors for the establishment of a new health tourism venture in Montego Bay.

The Prime Minister made the announcement just before cutting the ribbon to officially open Phase One of Montego Bay's newest hotel, the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort, on Saturday afternoon.

Last Friday, the Financial Gleaner announced that the developer, Pedro Luis Cobiella-Suárez, of Grupo HOSPITEN, who scouted locations in the island in September, was expected to visit the island again from December 3-5 to continue talks regarding the health-tourism project. Cobiella-Suárez met with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett at the recent World Travel Market in London.

New prospects

The project is estimated to cost between US$20 million-US$50 million and the developers have already had interim meetings with Ministry of Health officials here, The Gleaner understands.

"This offers exciting new prospects for Jamaica. Overseas travel for medical procedures and convalescence treatment is a fast-growing, multibillion-dollar business as increasing numbers of persons seek to escape the staggering cost of medical treatment in North America and Europe," said the Prime Minister.

He added that Jamaica is ideally suited - geographically and climatically - to tap into this emerging growth centre, "and we are working with prospective investors to make this a reality within a short time."

Grupo HOSPITEN, which generates close to US$40 billion in expenditure annually, is an international network of private hospitals, with over 1,000 beds, committed to providing high-level health-care services. The group sees over 500,000 patients every year.

The company operates 12 hospital centres in major cities and tourist centres in countries such as Spain, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Last year, it opened health-care centres in Puerto Rico, and in Playa del Carmen (Riviera Maya, Mexico).

Spanish hotel empires

The Prime Minister lauded Grupo Iberostar, one of several Spanish hotel empires that have chosen to make substantial investments in Jamaica, for creating a spanking new five-star resort facility that has added to the excellent offerings in the tourism capital.

"When aggregated, the projects already completed, under construction or in advanced planning stage total 8,351 rooms and a total investment of more than US$1 billion."

On completion of Phases Two and Three, Iberostar Rose Hall Beach will comprise just under 1,000 rooms, representing a total investment of US$225 million.

Don Miguel Fluxa, Iberostar's president, gave his commitment to put all efforts into creating more stable labour opportunities in the country,

"We are here because we want to, not because we were asked," the Spanish investor said.

Jamaica is the first English-speaking Caribbean investment for the group.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com