The island will become Sandals’ eighth in the Caribbean, while the resort will be Beaches’ fourth.

Buccament Bay has been shuttered since 2016 but will be completely transformed by Sandals before being relaunched under the Beaches brand, joining its portfolio alongside properties in Jamaica and Turks and Caicos.

“Investing in St Vincent and its captivating people was not only compelling, but a natural next step for continued expansion within the eastern Caribbean," said SRI founder and chair Gordon "Butch" Stewart.

Over the years, Sandals has expanded from Saint Lucia into Grenada and Barbados. "We are champions of growth for the eastern Caribbean, and it has remained at the forefront of our expansion strategy," he said.

"Expanding into a brand-new destination ushers in the tremendous opportunity for new and existing team members to experience a whole new way of life and professional growth."

The resort is situated on the Caribbean Sea between the island’s mountains and rainforest, and is only a "short drive" from St Vincent’s new Argyle International airport.

SRI deputy chair Adam Stewart said efforts to expand into St Vincent has been nearly a year in the making.

“The resort will undergo extensive reimagination and renovations," he said, adding the works would create new local jobs and boost workers’ skillsets, with the resort benefiting from dedicated local airlift and global marketing efforts.