CATEGORY:CONSTRUCTION ---------------------------- By Trevor Thwaites Inside Grenada correspondent Wednesday January 03,2007 ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada - The Grenada Government says that the Tourism Industry is poised for a spectacular take off that will have a great impact on the local economy. Over 90% of the country’s hotel stock has been rehabilitated - almost 2,000 rooms at a much higher standard - as efforts to rebuild the country better following the two recent disaster intensifies. The government is high in praise for the owners and proprietors of those facilities. Hotels like the Spice Isle Beach Resort, Coyaba Beach Resort, Grenadian Rex Resort, the Flambouyant and others have been singled out for the significant upgrading and enhancement over the past two years. Minister of Tourism, Senator Brenda Hood, said that approximately 13,000 rooms will be added to room stock under the Home Stay Programme for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. Government has provided in excess of EC$15 million for the enhancement of hotels and the Home Stay Programme. According to the Ministry of Tourism much of the work the past year has been concentrated on training and improvement of attraction sites. A number of students from NEWLO and TAMCC were trained in Hospitality Arts aboard the Princess Cruise Lines, while another 10 have started a two-year hospitality training programme in St John’s Antigua. The ministry has also been very instrumental in the recruitment of 31 persons aboard the Norwegian Cruise Lines. Several Tourism attraction sites in Leapers Hill Sauteurs, Concord Falls, Grand Etang and Grand Anse were also Upgraded and work is continuing on others. The Ministry of Tourism says that several projects, estimated in the range of US$112 million, will be started in New Year and completed over a period of time. It is delighted with the commencement of work on EC$1.6 billion Port Louis Project, which include the construction of a world famous Marina in the Lagoon area, a modern five star hotel and night light facilities. The renovation of a 250 room facility at Cinnamon Hill, which has begun and the development of the Mt. Edgecombe Plantation in St Mark, which will be transformed into a major eco-tourism facility is also underway. The Ministry of Tourism says that the New Year will also see the start of a Four Season Hotel Project in the country and that work is also progressing well on a hotel and marina project in the True Blue area. It has also indicated that construction of another hotel project will commence shortly at Fort Juedy and that work on the much talked about Levera Hotel Project will finally resume this year with the development of a 360 acre site as a High End Tourism Project. The entire project will provide 250 rooms to be undertaken in various stages. This will include a 40 room boutique hotel and villas, the development of nature trails and Horse back riding. Finance Minister, the Hon Anthony Boatswain, alluded to the projects during the presentation of the 2007 Budget, which he said, will provide hundreds of nationals with employment. “We have already started to prepare our young people to take advantage of the opportunities these projects will bring by sending some abroad for advanced training.”