Taylor proposes UWI hotel concept

Veteran Barbadian hotelier Ralph Taylor has floated the idea of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, having a resort hotel built within the campus complex.

While lauding the university’s success and international recognition for its hospitality and tourism programme, he suggested the institution take the next step and build a prestigious resort, taking advantage of the impressive view offered from the elevated location of the campus and have it run by students.

Such an initiative, in the view of the prominent figure in Caribbean tourism and hospitality industry, would enhance Barbados’ tourism profile, while providing students with the opportunity to balance academics with practical experience. He made the suggestion in his acceptance speech after being presented with an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by UWI recently.

In his concept of a hotel on the UWI campus, he envisaged academics visiting for conferences, travellers seeking a unique experience and students from around the world taking advantage of the resort’s facilities.

Such an approach, Taylor said, could yield significant economic benefits for Barbados, local communities, as well as the university.

He suggested the hotel model would also place the university programme in a different direction, ensuring that the region develops, recruits and deploys its best thinkers and the most competent leaders in tourism and hospitality management.

Innovative model

A pioneer in the all-inclusive resort concept in Barbados, Taylor introduced the innovative model to the island with his acquisition of Divi Resort in 1991, rebranding it as Almond Beach Club & Spa.

Over the next 20 years, as chairman and managing director of Almond Resorts Inc., he successfully expanded the brand to include five hotels, encompassing 1 549 rooms across Barbados and St Lucia. He is currently chairman and chief executive officer of Arcadia Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of The Soco Hotel in Barbados and The Soco House in St Lucia.

In his long, illustrious career, Taylor has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the tourism and hospitality sector, including being named Caribbean Hotelier of the Year by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association; Caribbean Media Personality of the Year by the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) and honoured by the Barbados Government with the inaugural Barbados Minister of Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to his business achievements, Taylor has served in prominent leadership roles, including president and chairman of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, president of the Barbados Hotel Association, chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority and chairman of the Tourism Development Corporation.

(GC)

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