Happy 6th Birthday to the MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort
It’s at this time of year that we often look back to the opening of our inaugural development, the MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort – and this year marks an incredible six years since we opened its doors.
Following the ground breaking ceremony for the development in February 2009, sales began with enthusiasm as the team discovered an appetite for the as-yet-undiscovered Islands – many were already calling it the next tourism hotspot. By November of the same year, the Group had signed a deal with internationally-renowned hoteliers, Meliá Hotels International, to manage the Tortuga Beach Resort and so everything was in place for a truly 5-star luxury development on Sal Island. Completions were coming through as early as 2010 and with furniture delivered, the open date was approaching fast.
The grand opening for The Resort Group PLC’s first all-inclusive offering was in May 2011 with notable figures, dignitaries and investors attending the ceremony. Performances from a variety artists and an incredible firework show launched the MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort in style and with Dunas Beach Resort & Spa already under construction, it was a year of success for the Group.
The next two years saw huge growth for the Resort, with occupancy rates climbing, tourism booming and a new online presence bringing the future of overseas property investment to Cape Verde. As 2014 came around, its popularity was at an all-time high with celebrities flocking to Sal Island and our luxury Resort. Visitors also reached half a million in 2014, an incredible feat in just three short years.
The MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort continued to evolve over the years and even when the new MELIÃ Dunas Beach Resort & Spa, our next development, opened nearby, it maintained excellent occupancy rates and glowing reviews from guests.
“The staff were truly amazing and made the experience even better, always smiling and really helpful. The resort itself has a lot to offer, not just for adults but for children also. Entertainment in the evenings was really good and fun to watch. Have to say I ate like a king, there was so much food with a great selection to choose from.”
Lewis T, June 2017 | TripAdvisor
In a sign of how adept the Resort is at always adapting to its’ ever-growing base of loyal holidaymakers, it retained its quiet, relaxed charm while expanding with a new Analita Boutique in the heart of the complex to cater for holiday shoppers. The Group didn’t stop there, investing a further £1.5 million into Waterside, Spices, the new Champagne bar, Spa and offices, as well as IT systems, energy upgrades, new furniture, outdoor improvements and Bali beds for the beach. In 2016, we were thrilled to accept the Luxury Hotel Group of the Year 2016 from the respected Luxury Travels Awards and more recently, the Resort was awarded the Travelife Gold Certification to commend its extensive sustainability efforts.
Popular as ever, our sixth year since opening has offered the same level of luxury and indulgence as it did when it launched. Perhaps even more, with a wider variety of shops, highly experienced hospitality staff and a new club, Bikini Beach, open nearby for a change of scenery, our first Resort has gone from strength to strength over the years. Tourism on Sal Island has also seen a real boost since we opened MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort, especially with the launch of two more destinations along the same beautiful beachfront – MELIÃ Dunas Beach Resort & Spa and MELIÃ Llana Beach Resort & Spa.
For more information about our complete Resorts, or our current developments, please get in touch.