Business View Caribbean | March 2019

41 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN MARCH 2019 FA I RMONT ROYAL PAV I L ION inspired menus to themed dinners, the cuisine will delight any palate and every occasion. Jean-Christophe Martinez took the reins as General Manager of the Fairmont Royal Pavilion in November 2018, and in just a few months, the hotel has worked its magic on him. He shares, “Many things make this hotel special: it has a rich history, and all the rooms are facing the sea, and it has so much ambience. Also, it is successful because of our team. They are all very welcoming and a lot of guests return because they are treated so well. You feel very relaxed and rested here; people love the feeling, beginning with the beautiful garden that welcomes everyone at the entrance.” The hotel employs 198 team members. That number varies with the season – high season, being mid-November to April. The U.K. market is strongest for visitor traffic, followed by the U.S., Canada, and Germany. The summer isn’t as busy, but there is a fair amount of North American and local traffic. Convenience is a key attribute. Travel from the airport is a breeze; it’s only about a half hour drive to the resort. Five minutes from the hotel is a large shopping center in Holetown and the capital city of Bridgetown is only about eight miles away. The Fairmont Royal Pavilion also works with a local company that takes excursions to the city, to catamarans, and a myriad of other activities and offerings that are all available through the hotel concierge. Martinez acknowledges, “There is a lot of competition and we always try to differentiate ourselves a little bit from other resorts. But we try also to take different markets. And in the end, it’s all about the attention you give to your guests. That’s what we focus on. As for marketing, internationally, we take advantage of Fairmont’s excellent worldwide recognition and Accor, because we are part of the Accor Hotels brand. And we work with many local travel and tourism agencies to promote the wonderful Barbados aspect. We have valuable relationships with a lot of local companies, including food and beverage suppliers, construction firms, and banks. During the renovations, a lot of equipment had to be brought in from abroad but