Sandals Resorts celebrated its top travel advisors – including Canadians – at its recent STAR Awards in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It was the 19th annual convening of the resort chain’s top agents, held fittingly at Sandals’ newest resort, and included learning, team building, community engagement, celebration, and plenty of R&R under the Vincentian sun.
“We’ve always put our money on the horse that is the travel advisor community,” declared Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart, “The best bet in the world is to bet on the most powerful distribution means in the entire tourism ecosystem – and that’s hands down, travel advisors.
“The travel advisor community built this company, and we love you! We will continue to forge ahead in every way we can… with a team of people who believe in us and relentlessly believe in the Caribbean.”
The centerpiece of the event, which featured a guest list of nearly 400 top-performing agents, was the STAR Awards Ceremony, where top-performing travel advisors from around the globe were recognized for their contribution to Caribbean tourism as a whole. Susan Dougan, Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was among the presenters, with categories spanning Best of the Best, Million Dollar Club, Rising STARs, Chairman’s Royal Club, Top Sandals Travel Agency, Top Beaches Travel Agency, Top Club Sandals, Top Butler Elite, Top Weddings Travel Advisors, Worldwide Contribution to the Sandals Foundation, Top Island Routes Travel Advisor, Outstanding Achievement in Social Media and more.
Among the Canadian honorees were:
Top Sandals Travel Agency – Canada: Travel Time by Trevello
Top Beaches Travel Agency – Canada: The Travel Agent Next Door
Top Host Travel Agency – Canada: Trevello Travel Group
Rising Stars – Canada:
- Tourcan Vacations, Inc – Toronto, ON
- Voyages le Village Hudson – Hudson, QC
- Laurier Du Vallon – Ste-Foy, QC
- Verona Travel – Bradford, ON
Additional program highlights
Educational sessions underscored Sandals’ commitment to supporting and enhancing the professional growth of travel advisors, including a “Social Media Marketing & Destination Wedding Forum” that shared new strategies and tools to enhance Advisors’ online presence, along with new trends and celebration packages.
On-site experiences partner Island Routes invited travel advisors to adventure through the island’s lush rainforests, sail along the pristine coastline, and venture into the vibrant downtown area of Kingstown, while other attendees learned about the Sandals Foundation’s partnership with Hand2Earth and Grow In Time’s Vetiver Craft Project, which offers a second chance through rehabilitation and re-socializing training programs.
Evenings including lively oceanfront parties and a wedding showcase cocktail hour, while dine-arounds enabled attendees to disclver local Vincentian cuisine at new culinary concepts like Buccan – a large-format dining experience inspired by local cooking traditions – and Scrimshaw, a tribute to the island’s bounty on land and in the water.
“We have always recognized that travel advisors are the heartbeat of our industry stated Gary Sadler, Executive VP of Sales and Industry Relations for Unique Vacations Inc. “We not only express our sincerest gratitude for their unwavering commitment today, but every day. We are here to prove to the industry that we are serious about our relationship with the travel advisor community – and there is no other hotel company throughout the Caribbean that has such a brilliant and true commitment to you like Sandals Resorts International.”