Hotel giant Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is planning another investment for Jamaica’s tourism industry.

After gaining approval for five overwater villas at Sandals Kokomo Island, hotelier Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart is now looking to roll out phase two of that project – the construction of 12 additional bungalows in response to market demand.

The five villas are 2,000 square feet each with large walk-in showers, indoor soaking tubs as well as glass flooring, while the bungalows are 800 square feet. All come with butlers and other high-touch personalised service.

Some six years ago, Sandals had sought approval from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to erect the five overwater villas on Kokomo Island, the cay offshore Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay.

Approval was granted by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority in August 2010 for the construction of eight overwater suites. But that application was the subject of a public presentation in January 2010, and subsequently two amendments were granted.

In May, NEPA received a third request for an amendment to increase the number of suites from five to 17 on the basis that the concept of the overwater suites in Jamaica had become a game-changer for the country’s tourism industry.

Yesterday, Stewart, who is also chairman of this newspaper, was brimming with pride at the development and the record of quality service and innovation that his luxury-included resort chain has been offering for the past three decades.

“In the early days we were the only hotel company to have hair dryers in rooms, the first to have swim-up party pools, and we were the first all-inclusive to have fine dining restaurants,” he said.

“We were also the first organisation, 14 years ago, to introduce swim-up river suites and now, we have our latest masterpiece, the sky pool suites offering solar-heated plunge pools with infinity edge,” Stewart added.

His son and Sandals Resorts International CEO Adam Stewart was equally pleased, pointing out that the resort company is the only indigenous Caribbean chain headquartered and based in Jamaica.

“The mind and management of the Sandals success story has been led out of Jamaica, coming into its 36th year. It’s proof and testimony to the abilities of our people to compete at the highest level internationally,” the younger Stewart said.

He, too, pointed to the innovations for which Sandals has gained an international reputation and which has won the chain multiple travel awards.

“We have the most comprehensive scuba dive operation in the hemisphere, and the highest environmental, health safety standards,” he said.

The younger Stewart also said Sandals offers its guests “the world’s most famous top- shelf liquor brands, all of which they can have on the world’s best beaches, plus food from over 25 international cuisines, which we have branded our Global Gourmet”.

“We’ve been a partner in the success of Jamaican tourism for 35 years with our global marketing platform having Jamaica at the centre of its message and promoting the success of this island destination,” added the elder Stewart.

Giving proof of his company’s global reach, ‘Butch’ Stewart said: “We have representation on the marketing side of the organisation with teams in the US, Canada, UK, Russia, Italy, Germany, France, South America all promoting Caribbean tourism and Jamaica as our home.

“We’re proud to lead the next frontier of Caribbean innovation with the overwater suites,” he added.

In the meantime, SRI has begun recruiting staff for the overwater suites.

In a notice to the public last month, Sandals expressed the need for housekeepers, housemen, housekeeping supervisors, butlers and boat captains to work at five of the Caribbean’s first overwater guest accommodations. The selected applicants will add to the 13,000 staff Sandals currently employs across 20 resorts throughout the Caribbean. And that number will increase further, as Stewart plans the buildout of a resort he acquired at Dragon Bay, Portland, another in Negril, and a new resort destined for the south coast.

The overwater villas form part of an expansion, in addition to the renovation of 14 suites at Sandals Royal Caribbean, for which the company disclosed it invested US$5.5 million.

Yesterday, the elder Stewart said he was proud of the fact that the Sandals Corporate University has trained more Caribbean nationals than any other resort organisation. “That has allowed our team members to have careers that will serve them a lifetime,” he said.

As the Sandals brand continues to dominate the World Travel Awards each year, among other awards, Stewart has given his commitment to building additional rooms, reconfiguring and refurbishing hotels as well as expanding its brand in Jamaica every year.

This is already evident, as the luxury-included resort chain has described its new Overwater Wedding Chapel at Sandals Grande St Lucia, Palms Suites at Sandals Montego Bay, and its Skypool Suites at Sandals LaSource, Grenada, as some of its game-changing concepts to the hotel industry.

Sandals resorts are located across six Caribbean countries: Jamaica, The Bahamas, St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, and Barbados, with Beaches resorts in Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands.