Dolphin Cove has moved the opening of its Turks and Caicos operations to next October.

But St Lucia is still on track to open at the same time.

The plan was to open the marine park in Turks and Caicos by the end of this year and another in St Lucia the following year. But the Turks and Caicos opening was shifted until next year because the company missed the start of the cruise ship season, which begins in October and runs through May.

“We missed last October and it wouldn’t make sense to open when the season finishes,” said Stafford Burrowes, CEO of the company. “We will be ready for the next October season, so we are waiting until then.”

Some delays in planning permission in the island also delayed the 2013 planned open, Burrowes added.

“We wanted to open one now and the other the following year, but we have everything we need now,” said Burrowes. “We will be ready.”

The company increased its spending on advertising by 39 per cent during the three months ended September this year, up from $76.6 million to $106 million. Increased spending gave the company a good payback, contributing to its 78 per cent jump in net profit, moving from $54 million in the comparative quarter last year to $95 million during the quarter under review.

Total revenue grew by 22 per cent year over year, from $308 million to $375 million.

The company’s attraction revenue jumped by 30 per cent to $232 million in the review quarter, while sales from its ancillary services revenue, grew by 20 per cent year over year. This year, the company has attributed cruise ship revenue to ancillary services, which also includes gift shops.

This explains the apparent lower rate of increase in Dolphin attraction revenue compared to the increase in ancillary, the company noted.

All three locations — Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Hanover have done well, the CEO said.

Dolphin Cove’s operating expenses also rose, and the company incurred $236 million in expenses during the quarter under review, 14 per cent higher than the corresponding period in 2012.

“Our profitability was also helped by management’s effectiveness in containing expenses during a period of rising costs,” the company said.