Sandals Resorts International has announced the signing of an agreement that will bring Sandals Resorts to a brand-new destination: The Santa Barbara Resort on the island of Curaçao.
This will mark the ninth island destination for the brand in the Caribbean. The new Sandals Curaçao will initially include 350 rooms and suites stretched along Spanish Water Bay and the Caribbean Sea, with a further expansion planned in the coming years. Formerly the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, part of a broader 3,000-acre development, the resort will be completely “Sandalized,” a process set to begin in 2021.
Conceptual plans for the resort new expansive pools, a variety of dining options and accommodations, such as the newly constructed River Suites. Guests will also have access to the neighboring 18-hole Pete Dye championship golf course, two onsite marinas and 38,000-square-feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, the largest on the island.
Known for its vibrant culture, beaches and coves, Curaçao also boasts spectacular dive sites and exotic marine ecosystems. With year-round temperatures of 80 degrees, it's touted as a perfect “anytime-escape.” The resort will have a positive, immediate and long-term impact on the island and the people of Curaçao, according to Sandals. In year one alone, it is expected to have an over $40 million economic footprint and the creation of new employment. The resort alone will add over 1,200 local jobs, comprising 800 new team members and 400 local tradesmen and craftsmen. This will be extended to the local taxi and transportation sectors, wider supply chain, agriculture, increased airlift and increased yearly tourism numbers.
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