MORE than 130 international travel agents, hosted by Sandals Ochi Beach Resort and Beaches Ocho Rios, yesterday ended the 9th Annual Independent Travel Consultant’s Conference, which began on September 28.

The five-day conference, designed to showcase destination Jamaica and the Sandals brand, included a travel agent portal training, Sandals WeddingMoon® workshop, a marketing forum to help agents grow their business, and familiarisation tours of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in Montego Bay and the Ocho Rios region.

Gebhard Rainer, CEO for Sandals Resorts International and Ramel Sobrino, general manager for SOBR, greeted the agents during the welcome cocktail party. Rainer in addressing the gatherings updated the agents on the company’s product and its expansion plans. He also encouraged the partners to take full advantage of the opportunities to see and experience the other resorts and wider Jamaica and thanked them for their continued support.

Delegates were also given time to explore and discover for themselves why Sandals has maintained, for 25 consecutive years, the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand by World Travel Award.

A special guest appearance from Gary Sadler, vice-president of sales for North America, was, for many, a highlight. Sadler, who started the conference 10 years ago, travelled from Miami just to speak to the attendees, shared his passion for Sandals Resorts and reiterated the brand’s dedication to travel agents.

The travel agents were encouraged to “Pack for a Purpose”, a Sandals Foundation event in which visitors bring a child’s backpack filled with supplies to donate to the area schools. As a result of this initiative, more than 130 children will be heading off to school with essential material. Children from Exchange All-age and Ocho Rios Preparatory schools were on hand to accept some of the donations and to show their appreciation with entertaining cultural performances.