Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is accelerating plans to expand the family friendly Beaches Resorts brand with the development of Beaches Exuma, its fourth and the first Beaches in The Bahamas, the Caribbean’s leading resort chain has announced.

Jamaica is home to two Beaches resorts – Beaches Ocho Rios at Ocho Rios, St Ann and Beaches Negril, Westmoreland. The third is Beaches Turks and Caicos Islands in Providenciales.

To make this new resort possible and as part of a coordinated growth plan across the Sandals and Beaches Resorts portfolio, Sandals Emerald Bay will close on August 15, 2024, and undergo a transformation that is anticipated to begin in fall 2024 before reopening as the new Beaches Exuma.

“Exuma was made for families and with more than 6,000 feet of shoreline, the new Beaches Exuma will be a gateway to discovering the incomparable beauty of this part of The Bahamas,” stated Adam Stewart, the executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International.

“At the core of every great family vacation is the creation of memories so magical they last a lifetime. For more than two decades, I’ve cherished every moment I’ve spent together with my family along the irresistible shores of Exuma, where my own children have grown up among one of nature’s most inspiring playgrounds — from swimming pigs, majestic sea turtles, sandbars and so much more,” Stewart recounted.

Originally developed as a family-oriented resort when it opened over two decades ago, the existing Sandals property maintains an ideal layout of beaches, pools, and areas for family-oriented play spaces and amenities across its expansive oceanfront acreage.

Sandals described Exuma as a natural wonder renowned for its marine ecosystems and sea life, crystal clear waters, and beaches offering expansive white sandbars for exploration, the basis of a transformation that will bring the full breadth of the Beaches Resorts experiences and amenities that families have come to love.

“The new Beaches Exuma will include an evolved configuration of rooms with multi-bedroom villas, suites and connecting rooms, as well as undergo upgrades to its 12 restaurants and culinary offerings, the development of an all-new kids camp, splash deck, and much more, while tapping into entirely new adventure opportunities for families,” the resort chain said.

“When it opens, the new Beaches Exuma will offer a premier experience while also retaining beloved amenities such as the full-service Red Lane Spa and access to the Greg Norman designed 18-hole Emerald Bay golf course.

The opening date of Beaches Exuma will be announced soon.

Bahamas’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Aviation Chester Cooper welcomed the expansion and said he is greatly anticipating the redevelopment of the property.

“Sandals has been a trusted partner with The Bahamas for many years,” said Cooper, who is also from Exuma and is the parliamentary representative for the area.

“As we saw with the redevelopment of Sandals Royal Bahamian on New Providence nearly three years ago, when they invest in a property it flourishes. We will miss the Sandals Emerald Bay, but we welcome Beaches Exuma, which will be an expanded endeavour that caters to more visitors and employs more Bahamians. Exuma is my home and I’ll be with her every step of this journey,” Cooper added.

This rebranding is part of a strategic plan for the Sandals Resorts International organisation to significantly expand its footprint across the Caribbean, including recently welcoming Sandals Dunn’s River in Jamaica, Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Sandals Royal Curaçao into its family of resorts.

“These three new Sandals resorts, alongside expansions and upgrades to several others throughout the Caribbean, provide a wide variety of new opportunities to experience the brand’s true all-inclusive hospitality. Valued guests with affected reservations at Sandals Emerald Bay are being contacted and provided with a variety of options for re-booking at another Sandals Resorts destination, along with several special benefits,” SRI said.

Executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International Adam Stewart