TORONTO — For Kim Hartlen, hosting groups at Sandals Resorts is a no brainer.

The Halifax-based travel advisor and owner of Kim Hartlen Travel first fell in love with the Sandals brand in 1997 during a personal vacation to Sandals Royal Caribbean. She was immediately won over by its five-star service and amenities and the feeling of “coming home,” a testament to the resort’s incredible staff and hospitality.

Hartlen hosting a cocktail party during a recent group at Sandals Ochi and Sandals Dunn’s River

Since then, the 32-year agent veteran has focused much of her efforts on promoting the luxury brand, wanting others to experience for themselves that same level of service. She became a Sandals & Beaches Resorts’ specialist and commits to hosting two Sandals groups each year; in fact, she just returned from hosting two groups at Dunn’s River and Sandals Ochi in Jamaica. After 16 years, Hartlen has hosted at least 32 groups, the majority at Sandals properties and a handful of river cruises with Emerald Cruises. And while hosting groups comes at an added expense, for Hartlen, the benefits outweigh the costs.

“I love being there for my clients and giving them the peace of mind so they can travel,” she tells Travelweek. “The out-of-pocket expense and the time away from the office is worth it, not just because of the growth I’ve seen each year and the referrals, but for all the memories we’re creating.”

For her clients, not only do they benefit from Hartlen’s expertise in trip planning, they also get the added bonus of her being on the trip to handle all logistics in destination. Plus, being on one of her groups often means discounted rates and extra perks like Tim Horton’s coffee, snacks and goody bags, all of which Hartlen pays for out of pocket.

“It’s their own vacation, but I am there if they need me and I offer perks and private group events and some activities if they wish to take part,” she says. “I like to say I bring ‘fun’ to the group. My clients can vacation anytime of the year but they choose to travel with me, so I feel very fortunate.”

Anywhere from 26-50 people make up Hartlen’s groups, most of them being couples. Many couples make it a point to book every one of Hartlen’s hosted groups. The key to make clients come back, she says, is to make it fun and add value where you can.

“During my most recent Sandals groups at Sandals Dunn’s River and Sandals Ochi, I combined both groups and hosted a private cocktail party. I provided snacks for the flight, covered the cost of coffee and handed out beach chair straps, which were made by a client of mine and were a big hit! The feedback I received has been all positive, with some new clients who took part requesting to be added to my list so that they can be among the first to receive details about my next group trip,” says Hartlen.

Customized beach chair straps

For new-to-industry travel advisors, or those who haven’t hosted a group and are looking to do so, Hartlen suggests planning a group at least one year in advance and announcing it about 10 months out via email and social media. She likes to keep group numbers to a maximum 50 clients, and she always plans an itinerary well in advance. Clients are free to take part in as many planned activities as they wish. 

As for where to go, Hartlen recommends booking a different destination or resort than the year before to keep clients interested and inspired. “Watch for pricing and air schedules,” she says, to lock in the best rates. Deposits are made at the time of booking, with final payments done 60 days prior to departure. Travel requirements and documents are sent to group members three weeks prior to departure, along with general information on the resort and local excursions that are available. Post-trip, Hartlen makes sure that welcome home cards are already in clients’ mailboxes when they arrive home; she also follows up with an email or a phone call within the first week back.

But above all, Hartlen recommends relying on suppliers and BDMs for help, if needed.

“The amazing support I receive from Sandals and Unique Vacations, especially the Canadian team and the entire Sandals team throughout the Caribbean has always been the right fit for my business,” says Hartlen. “A shout out to my BDM Sandra, and Omar, CJ, Kenya and Maureen, not to mention Air Canada Vacations. It wouldn’t be possible without their dedication and support.”