Dolphin Cove’s operation in Hanover boosted sales for the tourist attraction last year.

However, the location, called Dolphin Cove Negril, just managed to utilise half of its capacity last year, leaving it with a fair amount of room for growth, according to its CEO, Stafford Burrowes.

“We can get more from the hotels in the west,” he said.

The company’s revenue was $1.1 billion for the year that ended December 31, or 16 per cent higher than in 2011.

The attraction in Lucea, outside the resort town of Montego Bay, opened in the latter part of 2010.

“We’ve done well with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line moving from Ocho Rios to the Falmouth Pier,” Burrowes said.

That helped to bump up the profits.

Dolphin Cove’s net profit for the year under review was $251 million, compared to $204 million in 2011.

The company’s sales from the dolphin attraction increased by nine per cent in 2012, when compared to the year before, while sales from its ancillary services, such as the gift shops, grew by 31 per cent.

Sales in Ocho Rios for 2012 were $972 million, $104 million more than in 2011, but its profit after tax for 2012 fell slightly by four per cent.

The net profit for the park in Hanover at the year ending 2012 was $75.9 million, $47.4 million more than 2011. The revenue from that attraction was $300 million, 35 per cent more than in 2011.

Dolphin Cove’s operating expenses increaesd by $112 million, from $743 million to $855 million.

“We will be making significant efforts to cut back on our expenses,” Burrowes said.

The tourist attraction plans to set up business in the Turks and Caicos Islands and St Lucia, as part of a five-year plan to have two new locations in two different areas.

“The plan is to start one of those overseas operations before the end of this year,” Burrowes said.