SANDALS National Sales Manager of Golf Jake Coldiron says the annual Sandals US Travel Agents Golf Tournament is a significant event for promoting Jamaica as a top tourism destination and showcasing Sandals Resorts International.

The two-day tournament, which started on Friday and ended on Saturday, was held at thr Sandals Golf and Country Club in Upton, St Ann, and brought together top travel advisers from the United States to experience the resorts, build industry relationships, and promote Jamaica to their clients.

The two-day tournament which brings travel advisers to Jamaica to experience the resorts and the island, build relationships with the industry, and promote the destination to their clients, was held at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in Upton, St Ann.

Coldiron emphasised the tournament’s importance.

“This is a big event for Sandals,” he said. “We have some of the top travel advisers in the United States, and they are the ones that send groups month after month down to Sandals and Beaches… This event here helps fill these hotel rooms and helps fill these resorts,” Coldiron told the Jamaica Observer.

Coldiron says the tournament has already generated significant interest, with travel advisers booking groups and rooms for this year, demonstrating the event’s impact on driving business and filling hotel rooms.

“And so we have some many success stories already; I was actually talking to some of the travel advisers and they have already booked golf groups in the past couple of weeks [for] 40 rooms, 25 rooms, and they are travelling this year. This goes to show you that getting people down to Jamaica to see and experience the destination, that is going to help drive business and fill hotel rooms,” he said.

The 21st US Sandals US Travel Agents Golf Tournament saw Team #1 emerge victorious, comprising Jeremy Anderson, David Anderson, Adam Anderson, and David Schutz. They secured the top spot with a total score of 121 points, achieved through scores of 57 on day one and 64 on day two.

This winning team outpaced Team #5 — consisting of Pete Drab, Brad Beckman, Bruce Bentley, and Daryl Hubbard — who accumulated a total score of 125 points. Team #2, made up of Chris Garton, Mark Deffenbaugh, Brandon Kendrick, and Ross Kendrick, claimed third place with a total score of 127 points.

Drab expressed his enjoyment of the tournament, saying it’s like coming home to family.

“This is my fourth year playing in this tournament and I feel really good coming back here,” he said. “I know a lot of the folks here and the travel agents and so it feels like family, coming back, having some fun, playing some golf, and enjoying ourselves at the resort.”

Despite not winning, Drab appreciated the event’s atmosphere and is already looking forward to next year’s tournament.

“As long as we are invited, we will be back to next year,” he said.

The event also includes fund-raising for Sandals Foundation, a grass roots organisation supporting community initiatives.

COLDIRON…this is a big event for Sandals. We have some of the top travel advisers in the United States and they are the ones that send groups month after month down to Sandals and Beaches… This event here helps fill these hotel rooms and help fill these resorts.