The Royalton Antigua Resort and Spa is set to reopen, and ready to receive its first guest on 1st December 2020, according to information reaching the Antiguan Trumpet. At an online meeting held Tuesday 1st September between Bargaining Agents for the employees, the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union and Cooperate and Regional Directors for the Company to discussed the present state of affairs as it relates to the Travel and Tourism Market and the prospect of reopening the Resort on 10th September, the deadline given for employees to return to work, when they were laid off on 19th March 2020. The Directors informed the Union that the state of the Travel and Tourism Market does not allow for the 10th September reopening, but went on to outline the Resorts plan for reopening on 1st December 2020.
The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union and the Directors of the Resort have agreed to convene a joint meeting with Employees on Friday 4th September to outline the way forward. The meeting will be conducted using all the safety protocols in two groups at the Resort, it is expected that employees from the Food and Beverage, Front Office and Administration departments will gather at 12noon to be followed by Housekeeping, Maintenance and other departments at 3pm. Employees are encouraged to wear their mask when attending the meeting as all Covid 19 protocols will be strictly adhered to.
The Resort was forced to cease operations after Countries around the World went into lock down and closed their borders, implementing travel restrictions due to the spread of Covid -19. The Resort employs over 500 employees. It is not certain what the faith of these employees would be due to the fact that the lay off period comes to an end on 10th September 2020.
The Royalton Resort and Spa began operations in Antigua and Barbuda on 1st May 2019 after significant renovations were done at the property once known as the Royal Antiguan bought from Trinidadian Investor Issa Nicholas. Trumpet News will keep you updated as to this developing story.
