Airline operator Allegiant Travel Company opened Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, a 785-room property on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Allegiant has sold hotel rooms on behalf of third parties to its airline passengers for more than 18 years, a company release detailed. The opening of Sunseeker Resort means it can now sell some rooms directly.
"Over the past five years, we have sold on average about 300,000 'third-party' hotel room nights per year to our customers. The opening of Sunseeker Resort is a key milestone in providing more customer offerings through our 'first-party' integrated resort,” said Allegiant President Gregory Anderson in a statement.
CEO Maurice Gallagher called the resort “a transformational project for Allegiant” and a catalyst for its “continued growth as an integrated travel company.”
Allegiant selected the resort location based on its proximity to its airline’s base of operations, Florida’s Punta Gorda Airport. Allegiant has flown 1.8 million passengers in and out of the airport, according to the release.
Anderson noted that airfare is usually “the smallest component of our leisure customer’s budget,” adding that the largest component is generally dedication to lodging, food and beverage. Sunseeker, with its 20 food and beverage options, is designed to capture the other parts of travelers’ budgets.
The resort spans 22 acres along the Gulf Coast waterfront. In addition to dining offerings, it includes retail shopping, 60,000 square feet of event space, two pools, a fitness center, a spa and a guest-exclusive golf course.
