CANCUN — Magic and whimsy sat at the heart of Playa Hotels & Resorts’ 2024 Spotlight Awards, held at Hyatt Ziva Cancun June 2 – 5.

Inspired by the world of Willy Wonka, more than 100 travel advisors, BDMs, DOSs, and Playa representatives celebrated and indulged in a series of culinary adventures, specially-tailored entertainment, plenty of sweets and candy and other culinary delights throughout the three-night celebration.

The event highlighted Playa’s dedication to reconnecting and energizing the travel community post-pandemic, a sentiment echoed by company executives including Rose Cosentino and Bruce Wardinski.

The 2024 Spotlight Awards, which were given out during an eagerly anticipated dinner and awards ceremony on June 4, specifically honoured the achievements of Playa’s most successful travel advisor partners.

Advisors earned their invitation by not only selling Playa resorts, but by booking and registering a minimum of 400 room nights in the previous calendar year.

“Let’s face it, the pandemic affected our industry in many ways,” Rose Cosentino, Vice-President, Global Wholesale and Retail Sales, Playa Hotels & Resorts told Travelweek as the celebrations opened.

“During that time we didn’t do a Spotlight Awards because of the protocols. We paused it for a few years. The intent of doing it here at Ziva Cancun, which is one of our most beautiful properties, was to be able to re-connect, energize the group, and re-focus our efforts. It’s all about the quality time, to be able to put our arms around [our partners] and thank them for what they’ve done for us.”

WELCOME COCKTAIL PARTY

During the Grand Welcome Cocktail Party to officially kick-off the Spotlight Awards, Cosentino highlighted that recent moves by the brand, such as the announcement that Amanda Morris would now be overseeing the U.S. and Canadian sales teams, were an indication of Playa’s commitment to showing the travel advisor community how unified and committed the company is to working as one cohesive team.

“I travel a lot, but I did not want to miss this event,” said Bruce Wardinski, Chairman and CEO, Playa Hotels & Resorts, during his opening remarks. “It’s really you, the travel advisors, who really put us in the position we are in. The industry expertise that you have, the knowledge of our properties that you have, it’s amazing to me the ability you have to sell better to your clients if you really understand our properties. So, I sincerely appreciate the time you spend on FAM trips and in working with our BDMs and our DOSs at all the properties.”

Wardinski went on to note that Playa has hired five new BDMs since September 2023 and that the company will be opening two new hotels in Mexico later this year, including the Kimpton Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park, and Paraiso de la Bonita, a Luxury Collection Adult All-Inclusive Resort, Riviera Maya. Playa will also be opening the Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

“The other really exciting news for me is the capital we are going to invest,” said Wardinski, highlighting a number of major renovations and upgrades coming to Playa properties over the rest of 2024 and into 2025.

2024 SPOTLIGHT AWARDS GALA

The four days of celebrations culminated with the 2024 Spotlight Awards Gala, which saw Playa’s team and partners donning their finest attire for a night that featured astonishing magic tricks, the awarding of trophies, and some heartfelt speeches.

It all started with a special Willy Wonka-themed dance performance from the resort’s entertainment team before a host of awards were given out to top-performing advisors from across Canada and the U.S.

As the awards portion of the ceremony was drawing to its conclusion, an emotional Angie Brevetti, Senior Travel Consultant, The Travel Agent Next Door, was awarded the top prize for a Canadian at the gala: The Canadian Ambassador Award.

“I started 37 years ago and loved it from the beginning. I’ve been working at it hard. We’ve had our ups and downs; 9/11, COVID, SARS, you name it, we’ve had to deal with it. But I just love people. I love the relationships. I enjoy when [my clients] go on vacation and a piece of me goes with them,” Brevetti told Travelweek as she reflected on what receiving the Ambassador Award meant to her.

“I was shocked when I won. I’ve been working with Playa since it started. Amanda Morris was my first BDM with Playa. I remember our first session and training. Having that connection with people, being able to call them up, email them, or WhatsApp them, and there’s someone there on the other side trying to make it right, that has been the beauty of it. There’s a product for every client and that is also the beauty of it.”

The soiree concluded with a night of shared congratulations and dancing to celebrate the successes and achievements, and to give everyone one more chance to savour the world of pure imagination the Hyatt Ziva Cancun looked to create for the guests throughout the four celebratory days.

Here’s a complete list of the Canadian award winners …

• Top Producer for Mexico – Canada: Filomena Punzo Dunn, Travel Masters
• Top Producer for Dominican Republic – Canada: Joanne Moore, The Travel Agent Next Door
• Top Producer for Jamaica – Canada: Micaela McFarquhar, Intimate Affairs & Escapes – TTAND
• Top Producer for Suite Categories – Canada: Lindsey Adler, Flight Centre
• Top Wedding Agent – Canada: Micaela McFarquhar, Intimate Affairs & Escapes – TTAND
• Momentum Award – Canada: Trevello
• Top Producer For Western Canada: Cindy Gaudet, Fareconnect
• Top Producer For Ontario Canada: Vikas Malhotra, itravel2000
• Top Producer For Eastern Canada: Richard Kelly, Voyages Synergia Aquaterra
• Top Selling Agent – Canada: Vikas Malhotra, itravel2000
• Top Selling Agency – Canada: The Travel Agent Next Door
• Social Media Award – Canada: Mahla Pourshamsa, The Eventeur – Trevello
• Ambassador Award – Canada: Angie Brevetti, The Travel Agent Next Door

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  Bruce Wardinski, Chairman and CEO, Playa Hotels & Resorts, with resort team members at Hyatt Ziva Cancun (photo courtesy Playa Hotels & Resorts)

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