OCHO RIOS — The year got a high-energy start at Sandals Dunn’s River and Sandals Ochi, as the resorts hosted Sandals’ 2024 Global Sales Conference.
Unique Vacations, Inc. (UVI), an affiliate of the worldwide representative for Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, christened 2024 as ‘The Year of More’, a year of innovation, growth and supporting the travel advisor community.
It was the company’s first global sales conference since 2019, and attendance was strong, with Caribbean government officials, Sandals Resorts executives and 200+ members of Unique Vacations’ worldwide sales force gathering for reflection, strategy, networking and more.
More than 200 members of Sandals’ global sales force convened at the 2024 Global Sales Conference at Sandals Dunn’s River and Sandals Ochi
The weekend kicked off with welcome cocktails and dinner at Sandals Dunn’s River, followed the next day by a future-focused business session at Sandals Ochi. Keynote speeches included addresses from Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, and Carlos James, Minister of Tourism for Saint Vincent and The Grenadines.
Both men were joined by UVI and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) executive leadership, including SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, who spoke about the brands’ foundation and its continued commitment to supporting travel advisors, plus insights and strategic directions for the future.
“We sit here today on 42 years of legacy – 42 years of a clear runway of opportunity to be the company that is the game changer to rewrite the future history books of what Caribbean tourism is going to look like, and that is what Sandals 2.0 reflects and represents,” said Stewart. “We are committed every day to you and your craft – to doing things that are monumentally bigger than Sandals. This is an ecosystem of Caribbean tourism that only triumphs if we function together as one.”
KEY PARTNERS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Minister Bartlett expressed his appreciation for a year of record-breaking travel to Jamaica – four million visitor arrivals in a single year (2023) and 10 consecutive quarters of economic growth, reducing the island’s debt to GDP from 149% to 74%.
“What you are doing for Jamaica means additional exposure and opportunities for our destination, which translates in effect to more arrivals and more earnings. It means more business, more jobs, and more growth,” said Minister Bartlett, adding that innovation and collaboration will be the driving force of ongoing success in 2024 and beyond. “Our way forward in the tourism industry is to remove this sense of competition that has characterized our process over time, and replace it with a nice new word called co-petition. We must now represent a future of co-peting with each rather than competing with each other.”
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines’ Minister James reiterated a joint commitment to build out a tourism sector that is “unique and amazing” – teasing new direct airlift coming soon – and that leverages space and opportunities for people to discover an authentic Caribbean island that is not commercialized, while finding avenues to support and empower local communities.
Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines is scheduled to open on March 27.
“The thought process, engineering ingenuity, care, love, finesse, and attention to detail that went into creating [Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines] is something we all will enjoy,“ said Minister James. “Sandals is a perfect match for our island – maintaining the authentic richness of the Caribbean vibe, food, entertainment, and cultural heritage. We’re preserving all of that and sharing it with guests.”
MORE IN 2024 AND BEYOND
Stewart highlighted upcoming innovations across the Sandals and Beaches brands, focusing on the design, service, and accommodation innovations across the portfolio, including Sandals Royal Curaçao – home to 10 new Rondoval villas debuting Feb. 1 – and the upcoming Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, promising an experience immersed in nature, with more features, amenities, and Sandals Firsts than anywhere else.
“Everything that we are doing as hoteliers is in the relentless pursuit of finding the best of the best in this part of the world,” said Stewart. “No place on God’s planet is more interesting, more enticing, more relaxing, more soulful, or more charming than this archipelago. It is our job, together, to connect the dots to get the travelers of the world to choose us – to choose the Caribbean.”
“THE BIGGEST PART OF WHAT WE HAVE IS OUR TRAVEL ADVISORS”
UVI’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations, Gary C. Sadler, praised travel advisors for their loyalty, and underlined the impact of the region’s most committed sales force.
“The biggest part of what we have is our travel advisors, and the most profound thing that Unique Vacations can do on behalf of Sandals Resorts is work hand in hand with these trusted colleagues day after day – because whenever the going gets tough, it is always travel advisors who are there to rescue any hotel brand there is in the world,” said Sadler.
On Jan. 6, the award show gala sparkled with local flair as valuable sales team members from across various regions, both on a national and global level, were given their due. The weekend wrapped up with a private event at the Rio Chico villa.
The sales team from Unique Vacations Canada received many top honours at the Jan. 6 gala, including …
- Guy Archambault – BDM, Montreal/Northern Quebec: Social Media Award – Canada
Guy Archambault won the Social Media Award, Canada
- Robert Smith – BDM, Eastern Ontario: Outstanding Sales Achievement – Canada
The award for Outstanding Sales Achievement, Canada went to Robert Smith
- Teresa Villanueva – Inside Sales Manager: Outstanding Team Player – Canada
- Sandra Brousseau – BDM, Quebec (East & Central) and Atlantic Canada: BDM of The Year – Canada
BDM of the Year, Canada was Sandra Brousseau
- Winston Chang, BDM, BC, Saskatchewan & The Yukon was honoured on a global level and was named winner of the Global Award of Excellence
Winston Chang was honoured with the Global Award of Excellence
