Breezin' in Brazil.

JOHN ISSA PIONEERED THE "ALL inclusive" resort idea in Jamaica 25 years ago, offering vacationers a one-price package covering food, drinks, lodging, entertainment, water sports, tips and taxes. The concept has become so popular that Issa's SuperClubs properties pepper the Caribbean under three brand names: luxury Lido hotels,family-oriented Breezes resorts and adults-only Hedonism resorts.

Stepping outside its home region, Kingston-based SuperClubs is now invading Brazil. The 324-room SuperClubs Breezes Costa Do Sauipe, near Salvador, has opened as part of a bigger multimillion dollar project featuring five hotels, an equestrian center, small inns, a soccer field, a tennis center, an 18-hole golf course and squash courts. SuperClubs' executive chairman talked with LATIN TRADES Mary Dempsey about the South American foray.

For your first venture outside the Caribbean, why Brazil?

We were invited by the developers at Costa do Sauipe. When we investigated the potential in Brazil and in Latin America, we saw there was a future, Besides, we like to pioneer. I pioneered the all-inclusive concept in Cuba. I pioneered it in St. Lucia nearly 20 years ago.

Who do you expect to visit Breezes Costa Do Sauipe?

Initially, Brazilians and Argentines. We have very good meeting facilities so we'll be doing everything from business meetings to honeymoons to conventions to family groups.

What makes you think Brazilians will go for the all-inclusive concept?

What's appealing about all-inclusives is that when you see the bill at checkout, there are no surprises. I'm confident we'll get the guests. What will be more complicated for us will be Brazil's labor laws. And Brazil still has exchange control restrictions.

Any other Brazilian projects on the drawing board?

We want to expand both our Breezes and Grand Lido brands in Brazil. Maybe Hedonism, too, if it's acceptable. But Hedonism is quite racy. It has clothes-optional beaches, for example, and not every country is happy with people running around without clothes. Despite its skimpy bathing suits, Brazil is very conservative. We're still looking at locations. Right now, I'm not at liberty to say where. After Brazil, we might look at other countries in South America. We have four resorts in Cuba and we're planning to open two more there in 2002.

All-inclusives limit travelers' experiences. They don't meet local residents, they don't eat in local restaurants, they don't hear musicians play in their own venues.

People in all inclusives go on more tours than people on traditional vacations. They bring more money for shopping. Some of them do wander out from the resort. But people come to all-inclusives because that's what they want. Look at the demand for cruise ships. They don't even stay in the countries--you're just floating around on the ocean.

Some of the popularity of all-inclusives has to do with changes in habits. In the old days, people took two-week and three-week holidays. Now they take short ones where they come to a resort and just want to chill out away from everything.

Any surprises for you with the Brazilian project?

I guess I didn't realize just how large a country Brazil is. Also, we all think of Spanish and Portuguese as being similar languages. So I thought I could get around with the little Spanish I speak. That wasn't the case.