Karisma announces 4000 room resort development project

Karisma Hotels & Resorts, a company based in Mexico, announced on Tuesday in Kingston that it plans to build nine hotels, comprising more than 4000 rooms, in Jamaica over the next 8-10 years.

The development will take place on the Llandovery property in St. Ann. This property comprises 228 acres, with more than a mile of beachfront.

Ruben Becerra, Vice-President for Corporate Affairs & Business Development at Karisma, speaking at a press conference held at the Jamaica Tourist Board, said the investment “will surpass US$900 million.”

Asked how the project will be financed, he said it will be a combination of equity and loan funding, but declined to elaborate, saying only that negotiations were taking place with a number of Jamaican banks.

The first of the nine hotels is scheduled to be opened for the winter 2018 tourism season, Becerra, said.

In that regard, he said Karisma hopes to attract a number of new international hotel brands into Jamaica to be part of this investment, but declined to name any of these potential partners, since, according to him, those negotiations are still underway.

"Our interest is to try to increase the market, instead of shifting or stealing the market," he declared.

He added that the resorts will include a number of features, including dolphin experience, water sports, and nature experience with horse trails.

Negril experience

Karisma arrived in Jamaica in April, 2014, through its acquisition and renovation of an existing property in Negril, now being operated as Sensatori Jamaica. That property is currently being expanded, with 149 suites being added to the existing 138 suites, and a second hotel is being constructed next door – this to be named Azul Seven.

The company is investing US$45 million in these two ongoing projects, Becerra explained.

He highlighted the Negril experience to underscore the company’s keen interest in massively expanding its operations in the northern Caribbean island.

"The (Sensatori Jamaica) hotel was sold out for the entire year, less than a month after opening,” he explained, citing Karisma’s partnership with the travel company, TUI, which has been a crucial factor in providing convenient airlift for tourists coming to Jamaica.