Business View Caribbean - August/September 2018

28 29 with the build, and, sometimes, we build and sell model homes. So, there are many different op- tions - vacation homes, for example.We design/ build villas and apartments for sale and then buyers decide if they want to rent it out them- selves, or live in it or, as often happens, bring it into our rental program where we rent it out with full service in an income-sharing model.” Blue Bay has its own property management company, plus a services company that takes care of cleaning, maintenance, food and beverage, and hospitality. The resort is fully secured 24/7 with about 25 people working in security. Koster hired a co-director two years ago who previously worked for a large construction company, and now all development is managed in-house, with sub-contractors doing the construction and fin- ishing. Limited conference and meeting room capacity is being addressed with the building of new cor- porate offices and a welcome center. The planta- tion house is being renovated to be the heart of the resort. The 18-hole golf course has already seen upgrades, and 32 beachfront apartments are in progress, along with the development of nine exclusive ocean-facing lots next to the beach. One of the most crucial long-term relationships for Blue Bay is with Janssen de Jong Caribbean– a large construction and development company specializing in infrastructure works and concrete materials. Koster credits them as being instru- BLUE BAY CURACAO GOLF & BEACH RESORT mental in the ongoing development of the resort. “Being an old plantation, we have some very picturesque inland lagoons as well,” says Koster, “with flamingos and lush vegetation that is quite special on an island that is very dry.We are out- side the hurricane belt and that brings an ele- ment of lower rainfall and more wind. Therefore, only in the rainy season the area is green. In the summer, it takes on a more desert-like look and feel.” Curaçao, being a Dutch island, the majori- ty of visitor traffic is from Europe, representing about 60 percent of the market. The rest is a toss-up between North and South America. At this point, because of all the turmoil in Venezuela, both the U.S. and Canadian markets are stronger. According to Koster, “An impressive number of Canadian owners and vacationers come to the island, considering our land is so little known in North America. At least 20 houses in our resort –very nice properties – are owned by Canadians. That’s surprisingly high.We have two mega-piers on the island and, because we are the only re- sort and golf course and natural beach within 10 minutes of the cruise ship terminal, we get a lot of cruise traffic. To ensure we have room for our Blue Bay hotel guests and our residents, we make limited packages with the cruise liners to bring people to our golf facilities or our beach.” Environmental influences, like solar, are key on sunbathed Curaçao, and Blue Bay incorporates green initiatives as much as possible in new projects. Landscaping is more of a challenge, so