Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the government intends to develop a 30-room hotel at Yepton’s alongside a programme allowing Antiguans to build Airbnb-style tourism properties on nearby beachfront lots.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne radio programme, Browne said the project forms part of a broader initiative aimed at expanding local participation in the tourism sector by giving citizens an opportunity to invest in short-term rental accommodation.

The development will be located on a 15-acre beachfront property that the government acquired from Global Bank of Commerce through a swap arrangement involving deposits owed to the state.

According to the prime minister, the plan includes a boutique hotel with a restaurant and other amenities positioned at the front of the property, while individual lots will be offered to Antiguans interested in building small villas to operate as Airbnb-type rentals.

“We provide an opportunity for people to get involved in the hotel space by building Airbnb properties,” Browne said.

Each lot will allow owners to construct a small tourism property, potentially including features such as plunge pools, while sharing access to the beach and nearby hospitality amenities connected to the hotel.

Browne said the government deliberately opted against selling the entire parcel to a single investor, choosing instead to create what he described as an “inclusive ownership programme” that allows more citizens to benefit from tourism development.

“We could have easily given this to one person … and say, ‘Go ahead and develop the property,’” he said, explaining that the approach is meant to allow Antiguans and Barbudans to gain a direct stake in the hospitality industry.

The prime minister said the Yepton’s project reflects the government’s broader strategy to expand tourism investment opportunities for locals while continuing to develop new hospitality infrastructure across Antigua and Barbuda.