Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
The Riu Montego Bay hotel days before swinging open its doors.- Photo by Janet Silvera
WESTERN BUREAU:
STORMY MONTHS preceded the debut of Luis Riu's Montego Bay hotel, but not even a real hurricane could prevent the 681-room resort from welcoming its first guests on Friday, August 29.
The Spanish investor was in Jamaica cementing the newest jewel in his crown - RIU Montego Bay - when Tropical Storm Gustav damaged parts of the island. But like the rest of the tourism capital, the hotel was spared.
Just days before its unveiling, Luis Riu afforded The Sunday Gleaner an exclusive interview and an extensive walk through his trendy resort.
lush grounds
"It's hard to imagine that this is a brand-new property, because the grounds are so lush," he said, pointing to the vegetation that surrounds the beachfront resort.
At times seeming like a young boy with his new toy, the wealthy hotelier who currently operates 102 hotels and 40,000 rooms in 16 different countries, employs some 20,000 people, while boasting a gross turnover of US$1.48 billion annually, had a lot to be proud of.
He could easily have stayed away from Jamaica, having been warned, yet he never gave a listening ear and his determination and what many would call tenacity have paid off.
"When I saw this island for the first time, I thought, 'It has all to become one of the leading destinations of the world - marvelous beaches, great landscapes, culture, history and the Jamaican people open to tourism'," he said, with admiration.
fully recovered
Eight years later, Riu has four Jamaican resorts under his belt, and seems fully recovered from a grueling period in the the media spotlight. RIU Montego Bay's construction site was closed for two weeks by the Government because Riu allegedly went above the specified building height.
The Sunday Gleaner was curious to find out if he regretted coming here after the last three months of turbulence, and his quick response was: "Oh no. Jamaica occupies a very particular place in my heart. Having been the first European chain coming to Jamaica and investing in the construction of my own hotel when everybody else told me that I was crazy to do so, makes this challenge so very special for me."
According to the Spaniard, Jamaica is a great destination that deserves a place among the world's best holiday destinations. "We see how ambitious and interested the local employees are. We want to give them a platform to develop. Our clients are happy and repeat their holidays in Jamaica. How could I regret coming to this island?" he said, turning back the question to The Sunday Gleaner team.
different decisions
But does he feel that Prime Minister Bruce Golding acted hastily, and should he have waited on the proper investigations before putting a stop order on his property? Of course not! "Different bases of information lead to different decisions. The important point for us is that we could solve this situation and that the prime minister was very open to hear our arguments and to investigate them, too."
He also pushed aside arguments that Jamaica was hostile towards Spanish investors; however, he stated in no uncertain terms that as a great fan of Jamaica, it made him sad when he saw some of the comments during the last weeks, "comments that might damage the image of this wonderful island with its enormously growing potential. Rules have to be respected and if we did something wrong, we had to correct it like everyone else".
reputation
And he doesn't feel that Jamaica has damaged its reputation among prospective investors. "I am strongly convinced that this country should not lose any investor, simply for obeying the rules and laws it imposes," he stated.
His observations may just be correct, because in a Jamaica Information Service release last Thursday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding tabled a ministry paper in the House of Representatives on August 26, outlining the facts concerning breaches of the conditions of approval for the construction of RIU Montego Bay and how these had been dealt with.
corrective works
He was quoted as saying: "Care has been taken by the relevant authorities to ensure that the specifications and restrictions applicable to projects of this nature are adhered to and that corrective works, including the demolition of offending structures, have been carried out.
In addition, he said: "Care has also been taken to ensure that the actions taken are in the national interest and that the statutory provisions permitting modification of approved building plans are not unreasonably denied.
"I wish to make it clear that in discharging its public duty, the Government will not be beholden to any special interest - local or foreign - nor will it be conscripted into a hostile posture toward any investor, local or foreign," the prime minister warned.
meant to be
That aside, Luis Riu was obviously meant to be in Jamaica, and this was apparent from the first day he stepped on the tarmac at the Sangster International Airport in 1999.
"I rented a car and drove around the island for two days on my own," he reminisced on the exhilarating experience of driving through Jamaican countryside.
In two days, he was sold on the country and on his return to Spain, told his father he had found the ideal spot for another RIU resort, in Negril, which is where he built the first Jamaican resort, Tropical Bay. It is now closed until December, when it will become the chain's first local Palace hotel.
"In Europe at the time, Jamaica was known for its insecurity and many people didn't know of quiet places such as Negril and Montego Bay," he explained.
The task, he said, became an uphill one, and he had to fight with many persons to get them to buy into the country, "It cost me a lot of work to introduce it into the minds of the European people."
Today, every time he sees the word 'Jamaica' in a newspaper in Spain, he says, "That is something I brought into Spain, the possibility of going there (Jamaica). It's like it belongs to me."
His love affair gets stronger every day, and two weeks ago, when, like many Jamaicans, he watched Usain Bolt beat the World and Olympic records, he felt his heart beating hard. "Jamaica means something special to me," he said.
Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com.
Luis Riu, owner of RIU Hotels.
Just some of the things that makes RIU Montego Bay unique. Imagine thatched roof umbrellas at the poolside.- Photo by Janet Silvera
