Fort Young Hotel is the Caribbean’s first-ever All-Inclusive, Island-Included resort experience, giving guests an immersive Dominica experience, inclusive of unique city, land and sea expeditions that support the local community. This new offering brings a truly unrivaled Nature Island experience for guests. 

We sat down with Fort Young Hotel’s Proprietor, Gregor Nassief, who originated this concept that challenges the traditional all-on-property all-inclusive format by using Fort Young Hotel as a gateway to the adventures of Dominica. Below, Gregor gives us an inside look at how this new offering will provide guests with memorable experiences, all while immersing oneself in the culture of dominica.

1. How will this new offering support not only guests, but the local community and economy?

Our All-Inclusive, Island-Included experience means that guests can take advantage of the convenience of an all-inclusive stay while enjoying the best of all that Dominica has to offer. Our guests explore Dominica’s land, sea and city adventures with guides and tour operators from our local community, positively impacting the local economy.

2. How will this new island-included offering invite guests to be more involved in the local Dominica culture?

Not only will guests enjoy the city, land and/or sea adventures each and every day, but off-property island activities will also include local communities, whether a visit to a local restaurant or rum shop or experiencing our local arts, craft and culture.

3. How does Fort Young plan to have local tourism services, including restaurants, involved in the new All-Inclusive offering?

Our goal is to create a dine around experience that brings guests to local restaurants to explore truly local island cuisine. We will also be working with local tourism companies to bring guests on dedicated excursions and tours around the island. 

4. What is the economic contribution of current Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort guests, and how do you see this number increasing with the new All-Inclusive offering? 

Currently, we estimate that just under 80% of all revenue coming into the hotel from our guests ends up in the local economy.  With our new All-Inclusive, Island-Included approach, which involves more direct participation from and with the local community, we estimate that more than 90% of all revenue will flow towards the local economy.  So for example, revenue flows to local farmers and fishers will increase 50% while flows to tour, dive and watersports operators will increase five fold.

5. What is one thing you would like All-Inclusive guests to take away from their stay at Fort Young? 

That it was an All-Inclusive experience like no other because they not only had an amazing resort experience, but a truly spectacular island-experience as well.

6. How do you feel Fort Young is approaching All-Inclusive differently than other hotel brands?

The All-Inclusive concept generally means that guests stay on property, and everything – food, drink and entertainment – is provided on property.   We wanted to turn this concept on its head – so that the resort includes the island, so that guests spend as much time on property as off property, and truly experience our amazing Nature Island, all with the convenience of an All-Inclusive stay.

7. How will this new offering help create a more sustainable and symbiotic ecosystem?

By reinventing the All-Inclusive concept to include the island experience through the involvement of local service providers and local community experiences, we are essentially creating a more direct link between our guest experience and the local community, and ensuring a broader contribution to the local economy from each stay at the resort.  This is a more sustainable and symbiotic approach as it ensures deeper community integration and a broader contribution to the economy.