CARIBBEAN tourism company Chukka Adventures is looking to grow its regional footprint with its eyes set on developing a cultural site in Antigua and Barbuda.

Paving the way for entry into the twin island state, the historic Fort Barrington site is being primed for investments valued at US$5 million and upward, following the completion of the requisite approvals and regulatory processes.

Chukka, whose business model is built around tourism, believes that an upgrade of the centuries-old landmark will positively add to the growth of its brand given the good blend of cruise tourism and stopover arrivals common to Antigua.

Marc Melville, chief executive officer (CEO) of Chukka, speaking with the Jamaica Observer this week, said the targeted site fits well with the rustic, outdoor, eco-tourism type facilities that it is known to “identify, design, develop and operate”.

“Chukka specialises in identifying marquee attractions and iconic sites and in doing that, we’ve had a look at Antigua and the list of gems they have and we were able to locate one that we think could fit the criteria. The site is somewhat a diamond in the rough with great potential, our attempts at this stage are still now very preliminary but we’re in the process of seeing if there is a way forward for us on this site,” Melville told the Caribbean Business Report.

“The development we expect to do there is to highlight and tell a great story about the rich history already there, while offering great activities for guest to enjoy. The location provides an opportunity for many activities outside the fort,” he added.

Fort Barrington, built in 1779, sits atop Goat Hill and offers a panoramic view of the Deep Bay harbour. The site, now operated as a tourist attraction, allows for tours and exploration of the centuries old ruin. The upcoming development to be done in partnership with Chukka, the Antiguan Government and the National Asset Management Company (NAMCO) is expected to boost tourist numbers in that country, bringing it closer to that of pre-pandemic levels.

Chukka, a 35-year-old tourism industry operator, already operates sites in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and Belize. Locally, the entity, with the recent opening of its Island Village outpost in Ocho Rios, now offers a curated destination experience for visitors. The suite of services includes a discover Jamaica film series, Appleton rum tours, Jablum coffee tasting, along with other tour and service packages including a first-of-its-kind Caribbean photo adventure studio.

“We are almost 60 per cent complete with our activity profiles for the village,” Melville said.

At its other popular local attraction, Chukka Good Hope in Trelawny, the company also recently added bamboo rafting to the mix of recreational and water activities already existing. Looking to increase patronage from the steady recovery of tourism and cruise ship arrivals, the CEO said the business is being positioned to tap new opportunities as they become available.

He noted the company’s latest partnership with the just opened ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston in which Chukka was co-opted to provide tours, concierge, valet and other services to guests of the 168-room facility.

“As a Caribbean tourism entity, much of the COVID-related disruptions are now behind us and we are moving forward in the recovery. There are lots of opportunities out there and we still have a few more good announcements to make in terms of expansions which we expect to give at the appropriate time,” Melville said.