RIU marks 25 years in Jamaica with gala celebrating tourism partnership
Key Points(5)
- RIU Hotels & Resorts has marked the 25th anniversary of its first hotel in Jamaica with a gala event celebrating its long-standing presence in the island’s tourism sector and its partnership with the local workforce.
- The celebration honored the opening of the Hotel Riu Tropical Bay in Negril in 2001, which launched the Spanish hotel chain’s expansion into Jamaica.
- The event was attended by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, senior government officials, and members of RIU’s founding Riu family, including Joan Trian Riu and Naomi Riu, executive directors of the company.
- Held at the Hotel Riu Montego Bay, the gala brought together more than 300 guests and highlighted RIU’s growth in Jamaica over the past 25 years.
- The company noted that it now operates seven hotels across the island, with more than 4,200 rooms and an annual guest capacity of around half a million visitors.
RIU Hotels & Resorts has marked the 25th anniversary of its first hotel in Jamaica with a gala event celebrating its long-standing presence in the island’s tourism sector and its partnership with the local workforce.
The celebration honored the opening of the Hotel Riu Tropical Bay in Negril in 2001, which launched the Spanish hotel chain’s expansion into Jamaica. The event was attended by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, senior government officials, and members of RIU’s founding Riu family, including Joan Trian Riu and Naomi Riu, executive directors of the company.
Held at the Hotel Riu Montego Bay, the gala brought together more than 300 guests and highlighted RIU’s growth in Jamaica over the past 25 years. The company noted that it now operates seven hotels across the island, with more than 4,200 rooms and an annual guest capacity of around half a million visitors. RIU also emphasized its commitment to local employment, reporting that 99.2 percent of its workforce in Jamaica is Jamaican.
The evening included awards recognizing employees who have worked with the company in Jamaica for 25 years, many of whom have advanced into leadership roles and contributed to training new staff across multiple hotel openings. Executives Joan Trian Riu and Naomi Riu presented the awards.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by RIU’s in-house team, with a performance designed as a tribute to Jamaica’s musical heritage and produced entirely by local staff members. The event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony marking the anniversary milestone.
Speaking at the event, Joan Trian Riu reflected on the company’s relationship with Jamaica, saying the country had played a key role in RIU’s international expansion since its entry in 2001. He also highlighted the company’s continued investment in local talent and operations.
Prime Minister Holness, delivering closing remarks, said RIU’s initial investment signaled confidence in Jamaica’s tourism industry and that the partnership between the company and the country had been mutually beneficial over the past 25 years.
