RIU Resorts Jamaica has unveiled major upgrades to its Negril property, while maintaining a strong commitment to local employment and cultural preservation.
The Spanish hotel chain boasts a 98 per cent local employment rate across its seven properties in Jamaica.
This commitment to local hiring extends beyond entry-level positions, with the company actively promoting internal opportunities for Jamaicans, particularly with the reopening of RIU Negril.
“It’s not just staying at one position all the time. You have the options, especially when we open new hotels, we take from the experienced staff into the new hotels and then promote and do internal promotions in this hotel,” Regional Director of Operations at RIU, Frank Sondern stated.
He told JIS News that these opportunities extend to skills development and employee welfare.
Sondern further noted that this approach contributed to RIU’s staff not participating in recent hotel worker strikes, as the company actively addresses employee concerns regarding transportation, meals, and workplace conditions.
“Also, what I think is very important, is the philosophy that RIU has in regard to the management. We have an open-door philosophy where you do not have to apply somewhere or ask for an appointment to see the general manager,” he stated.
“We are touchable, approachable on the property and always communicating with the staff, and I think that makes a big difference as it [builds rapport],” he added.
The company’s recent renovation project in Negril, completed in December 2024, represents a significant capital investment in Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure.
The upgraded property, which currently employs up to 500 staff members, now features new amenities including ‘swim-up’ rooms and two-bedroom family suites accommodating up to six guests.
Additionally, food and beverage offerings have expanded to include the exclusive Tiki Taco concept and an American comfort food restaurant available 24/7.
This has positioned the resort to capture emerging markets and increase tourism revenue.
RIU’s high percentage of sourcing local food, beverages, and other operational necessities further contributes to the growth of businesses in Jamaica’s tourism supply chain.
Director of Sales at RIU Resorts Jamaica, Niurka Garcia Linton, indicated that the resort ensures authentic Jamaican cuisine in its restaurants, which are mostly named after the parish or location in which they sit.
“Every restaurant that we have with the buffet, breakfast, lunch and dinner will have a Jamaican corner. So everywhere you go, you can get a taste of Jamaican food or drinks,” Garcia Linton said.
“It is the same with the entertainment. Reggae is part of our identity, and it is very important for us to really acknowledge the country, acknowledge the culture, and to honour it. We want to give them back,” she added.
In the meantime, as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Government, RIU Resorts maintains a close relationship with the Ministry of Tourism and its affiliated agencies, including the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
Garcia Linton said the resort actively participates in promotional initiatives aimed at increasing tourist arrivals. To this end, she is set to represent RIU at an upcoming JTB collaboration in the United Kingdom to boost business from that market in the coming week.
“We recognize that Jamaica has an amazing product. So, we want to ensure that we always have a cutting edge of why the client should choose [Jamaica] over any other brand. This is one of the reasons that we’re always trying to reinvent ourselves,” Garcia Linton stated.
