Miami-based Unique Vacations, Inc (UVI), an affiliate of the worldwide representative for Sandals and Beaches resorts, has pledged to make 2024 the “Year of More” for Caribbean tourism.

Not wishing to lose one moment, UVI mobilised Caribbean government officials, Sandals Resorts executives, and over 200 members of its global sales force at the very start of the year, for a weekend of reflection and strategic alignment at Sandals Dunn’s River and Sandals Ochi resorts in St Ann.

Grabbing the theme and running with it, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett declared: “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.”

Bartlett expressed his appreciation for a year of record-breaking travel in Jamaica — four million visitor arrivals in 2023 and 10 consecutive quarters of economic growth, reducing the island’s debt to GDP from 149 per cent to 74 per cent — and translating to “more visitors, more revenue and more love in 2024”.

The Global Sales Conference, being held for the first time since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was designed to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the travel advisor community and reinforce its crucial role within the ecosystem of tourism for the Caribbean at large.

A future-focused business session unfolded at Sandals Ochi on January 5 with a series of inspiring speeches from other notable figures, including Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Tourism Minister Carlos James, joined by UVI and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) executive leadership, led by SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart.

Addressing the enthusiastic audience, Stewart reflected on the brands’ foundation and its continued commitment to supporting travel advisors while sharing 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,” the SRI boss said.

Bartlett added that innovation and collaboration would be the driving force of ongoing success in 2024 and beyond, noting that: “Our way forward in the tourism industry is to remove this sense of competition that has characterised 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.”

James was immediately at home amidst the buzz and focus which was on Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, set to open on March 27, 2024 as the latest and most modern Sandals resort.

Bringing forward the unique ‘soul’ of his island home and its authentic alignment with Sandals, the tourism minister reiterated a joint commitment to build out a tourism sector that is “unique and amazing” – teasing new direct airlift coming soon.

“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 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.”

Looking ahead and building off the theme of ‘more in 2024’, Stewart in his presentation highlighted upcoming innovations across the Sandals and Beaches brands, honing in on the design, service, and accommodation innovations across the portfolio. He pointed to Sandals Royal Curaçao – home to 10 new Rondoval villas debuting February 1 – and the upcoming Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, promising an experience immersed in mother nature, “raw and uncut”, 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 travellers of the world to choose us – to choose the Caribbean.”

Executive vice-president of sales and industry relations at UVI Gary C Sadler, who is Jamaican, lauded travel advisors for their unwavering loyalty, as he recognised 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.”

In true Sandals fashion, a dazzling award show gala brimming with local flair kicked off the closing evening, where awards were handed out to valuable sales team members from across global regions.

Notable recognitions include Yasmine Davis, who was named business development manager of the year for the United States, and Gail Stephenson, UVI director of sales operations, who was recognised as the Chairman’s Award Winner of 2023.