No party like a Sandals party!
Post-Melissa, guests invited ‘Back to Jamaica’ in style
With Hurricane Melissa now fading into distant memory, Sandals Resorts International rolled out their well-oiled party machine on Friday, December 5, 2025 to show travel advisors why they can sell Jamaica to their clients with confidence.
The beach party brought activities dubbed ‘Back to Jamaica’ — highlighted by a town hall attended by hundreds of tourism stakeholders — to a pulsating climax at the Sandals Dunn’s River near Ocho Rios, St Ann. It unfolded a day before Sandals reopened five of its eight Jamaica resorts and in time for tomorrow’s official start of the winter tourist season.
Jamaica Observer photo editor Joseph Wellington was there:
A jonkunnu band delighting the tourism stakeholders with their cultural offering at the Sandals Dunn’s River. Joseph Wellington
Heidi Clarke, executive director of the Sandals Foundation, received a standing ovation even before she spoke to hundreds of travel advisors, for her sterling work marshalling assistance for Jamaican children in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. Joseph Wellington
Kathleen Short (left) and Britt Traugott, travel advisors from Dreaming About Vacations, get their photo op with Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart. Joseph Wellington
Hospitality communications guru Ian Spencer (left) welcoming Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart to Sandals Dunn’s River ahead of the town hall and later beach party on Friday, December 5, 2025. The activities were staged for hundreds of travel advisors and other tourism stakeholders a day before five of eight Sandals and Beaches Jamaica resorts were reopened to take advantage of the winter tourist season which officially begins to tomorrow. Joseph Wellington
A section of the large number of travel advisors and tourism stakeholders at last week Friday’s ‘Back to Jamaica’ town hall at the Sandals Dunn’s River in St Ann. Joseph Wellington
Jeremy Jones, regional managing director, Jamaica for Sandals Resorts International reporting on the recovery effort, which he led after Hurricane Melissa, at the town hall at the Sandals Dunn’s River near Ocho Rios, St Ann. Joseph Wellington
The electronic ‘Sagwa Boy’ and his accompanying ladies entertaining the beach party. Joseph Wellington
Director of Tourism Donovan White and Maggie Rivera, chief communications and strategy officer at Unique Vacations Inc, an affiliate of the worldwide representatives of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, exchange pleasantries at the ‘Back to Jamaica’ town hall. Joseph Wellington
Sandals Dunn’s River staff greet their boss Adam Stewart with bright smiles as he arrives for the town hall. Behind him are hotel general manager, Kevin Clarke, and Kerry Miller, executive assistant to Stewart. Joseph Wellington
Travel advisors enjoying the throbbing Jamaican music and entertainment at the Sandals beach party. Joseph Wellington
Jamaica’s Deputy Director of Tourism Phillip Rose stops for a photo op with Ann Coward (left), senior marketing manager, and Karlene Angus Smith, associate director of industry relations, both at Unique Vacations Inc, an affiliate of the worldwide representatives of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Joseph Wellington
A cruise ship bathed by the light of the moon bypasses the ‘Back to Jamaica’ event in Ocho Rios, St Ann, as if in salute to the invitation to tourists to visit the island and support Jamaicans recovering from Hurricane Melissa. Joseph Wellington
