Business View Caribbean - June 2024

under the Choice Hotels umbrella. “I’m coming to terms with all that because I’m a hospitality professional, but I’ve come from cruise ships for the last 35 years,” he explains. Despite being new to resort management, Reeves is not new to the rigors of the hospitality sector. His extensive experience on cruise ships, most recently at Viking where long hours and a focus on service are the norms, equips him with a unique skill set that he is eager to adapt to his new role. “On cruise ships, we work extremely hard, especially where you have long days, and there’s no such thing as a day off,” he says.“ I’m used to that, but it’s slightly different here. I’m trying to bring the values of integrity, hard work, and mindset here.” Having been raised on the island, Reeves also brings a deep personal connection to Grenada. This local knowledge and his international experience, positions him to bridge the gap between global standards and local culture. “I know Grenada like the back of my hand. I have the knowledge, the groundwork. I knew what I was getting into when I signed the contract.” THE ROLE OF TOURISM AND RADISSON’S IMPACT Reeves is committed to promoting Grenada as a prime tourist destination. “We have the slogan in Grenada called Pure Grenada, and I still think it represents the Caribbean of bygone eras,” he asserts. The island’s charm lies in its low-rise buildings and pristine environment, which are increasingly rare in modern tourist destinations. “We don’t have that many high-rise buildings. We don’t have any, to be honest,” he says. However, this is beginning to change with new projects being granted permission to build higher structures. The scarcity of hotel rooms on the island poses a challenge during major events. “We do struggle when big events are hosted in Grenada, like athletics and other symposiums and forums,” Reeves admits. “When we get lots of visits from other islands, we struggle to find rooms simply because there are not enough hotel rooms on the island.” Despite these challenges, the demand for more 30 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 11, ISSUE 06