Chukka, SVL to partner on horse track tour
Published:Friday | June 26, 2020 | 2:48 PMKarena Bennett - Business Reporter
Chukka Caribbean Adventures will add Caymanas Park Racing Track Tours to its line-up.
The new sporting option follows on an agreement signed between Chukka Caribbean and Supreme Ventures Limited last Thursday that will see Chukka offering one-day trips to the racing track in St Catherine, which is owned by SVL Group and operated by subsidiary Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited, SVREL.
Chukka currently operates over 60 adventure tours including horseback riding, zip line canopy, all-terrain vehicle safari, river tubing/kayaking, river rafting, waterfalls, power snorkelling, and catamaran.
The joint initiative is expected to complement SVREL’s recently announced plans to provide ‘sidetrack live’ as a new infield experience for horse racing patrons.
“There is no question that the race track and the experience of Caymanas Park are known around the world. What we want to do is package this as a full-day experience for hotels and tourists in the Ocho Rios market, where they get the chance to go to the races, interact with the horses and make their bets,” said Managing Partner of Chukka Caribbean Adventures, John Byles, in a joint press release with SVL.
Byles told the Financial Gleaner on Tuesday that the company is now making contact with previous and new visitors to the island to assess receptivity to the product and has a team working through product development and marketing strategies for the new tour.
A budget has not yet been refined for the Caymanas Tour for which most of the cost will be covered by SVL. Profits for the tours will also go to SVL, while Chukka is expected to benefit from marketing fees associated with the tours.
“The first thing we try to do is focus on the what, and then we break it down into what the costs are. If there are restraints to the cost, it will be up to SVL to decide if they can or they can’t. All of that will be worked through,” Byles said.