THE new Marriott Port-au-Prince Hotel in Haiti checked in its first guests last week. The hotel employs some 200 Haitian workers, and Haitian-Americans who want to utilise their hospitality skills to boost Haiti’s tourism economy.

The journey to build the Marriott Port-au-Prince began four years ago when Marriott International reached out to the Clinton Foundation to propose a new hotel to help Haiti rebuild its tourism industry after the devastating 2010 earthquake. The company found an eager partner in Digicel Group, which has invested US$45 million to build the 175-room hotel.

The Marriott Port-au-Prince, which will be located in the Haut Turgeau area of the city, will offer 170 rooms, including five suites with Marriott’s signature amenities and features, including premium bedding, high-speed Internet and flat-screen televisions.

Dining options will include La Sirene Restaurant, a casual restaurant and La Sirene Bar, a lobby bar and lounge and 24-hour room service. The hotel will include about 6,501 square feet of flexible meeting space, a 1,614-square-foot fitness center, swimming pool, and sundries shop/marketplace.

The Clinton Foundation worked closely with the Marriott and Digicel Group to develop the hotel project. The Foundation visited proposed construction sites with the parties, facilitated introductions to the Haitian Government and the Haitian Tourism Association, and encouraged all parties to use the hotel as an opportunity to create an economic anchor for the community.
In addition to creating good, sustainable jobs for Haitians, the hotel incorporates Haitian art and artisan products into the hotel’s design and integrates green technologies such as solar to reduce the hotel’s environmental footprint.
HAITIAN ENTREPRENEURS

The Foundation also worked closely with Marriott and Digicel Group to identify and contract with Haitian entrepreneurs, small businesses and agricultural cooperatives that could provide goods and services to the hotel.
Digicel Guyana quoted former US President, Mr Bill Clinton as saying in a press statement: “The opening of the Marriott Port-au-Prince is an important milestone as the people of Haiti work to revitalise and diversify their economy.”
“I am grateful to Marriott and Digicel for their commitment to this project, and hope that its success will inspire further investment and opportunity in Haiti,” Mr Clinton said.
Digicel Group Chairman and Founder Denis O’Brien noted that the company is committed to attracting foreign direct investment to Haiti and to help the country rebuild in the wake of the earthquake.
O’Brien is founder and patron of the Digicel Foundation, which to date has constructed 150 schools in Haiti, and rebuilt the iconic Iron Market in Port-au-Prince. He is also the Chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative’s Haiti Action Network and has been instrumental in driving the activity of 80 support organisations in Haiti to deliver on their commitments.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS
“All along, we’ve said that we were committed to Haiti’s recovery and to delivering on its potential as a great place to invest, and as such, we are thrilled to be opening the doors of the Marriott Port-au-Prince,” said O’Brien. “We hope that the opening of the hotel will signal that Haiti is truly open for business and is ready to welcome investors and travelers alike.”
According to the release, the Marriott is collaborating with Haiti’s Ministry of Tourism and World Central Kitchen to build the skills and training of Haiti’s hospitality workforce through newly-designed hospitality curriculum for local culinary students.
Marriott has provided funding to help support the innovative new programme, which is currently being delivered to its first culinary class of nearly 40 students in a school located near the Marriott Hotel Port-au-Prince. The programme will be expanded when a new Ecole Hotelier, currently under construction, is completed in 2015
Digicel Group is a total communications and entertainment provider with operations in 33 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. After almost 14 years of operation, total investment to date stands at over US$5 billion worldwide. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.
Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel also sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is the presenting partner of the Caribbean Premier League. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.