Iberostar Rose Hall to Open on May 18

The tourism room stock is expected to go up by 366 on May 18, with the opening of the Iberostar Rose Hall Bay Resort in St. James.
The hotel is the first of three being built and opened in Jamaica by the Spanish hotel chain by 2008.
General Manager for the property, Philipp Hofer, told JIS News that the finishing touches are now being put on for the scheduled opening.
He noted that the opening of the property will increase employment by more than 100 per cent from 220 to 460.
Mr. Hofer, who has been working in the Caribbean for 11 years, had high praise for the quality of the Jamaican workers, noting that he is most impressed with the Jamaican people and the destination.
In terms of the target market for visitors, the General Manager said that the management would be looking to North American, based on its close proximity to the island, “but of course we will try to promote all over Europe-Spain, Germany, England and Italy.” He said that the plan is to create an international atmosphere with no emphasis on any one nationality.
Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Derrick Kellier, who was on a tour of the property, said he is pleased with the safety record at the construction site, with no serious injuries reported to date.
He expressed the hope that the record would be maintained throughout the other construction phases and when the properties begin operation, noting that safety at the workplace could not be overemphasized.
Minister Kellier and his team were assessing safety measures at the construction site, as part of the observance of International Occupational Safety and Health Day on Saturday (April 28).