A long-running strategy by Sandals Resorts to market both Jamaica and its properties through golf is now yielding tangible results, with more than 70 visiting players converging on the island in a single weekend, in a ripple effect of decades of targeted engagement with travel agents.

The group, drawn from the United States and Latin America, represents a full-circle moment for sport tourism, where exposure and direct promotion have translated into independent travel.

“We’ve planted a lot of seeds and invested in the roots, and now the trees are starting to bear fruit,” said Jonathan Newnham, director of golf at the Sandals Upton Golf and Country Club, located in St Mary.

According to Newnham, four distinct golf groups, three from the United States and one from Latin America, arrived at the resort over the same weekend. Two of the groups were originally scheduled to travel last November but were forced to postpone due to Hurricane Melissa. Their rescheduling ultimately created an unexpected coming together.

“It just so happened they all ended up here together,” Newnham explained. “That shows confidence in the destination and in the product.”

The moment is significant for Sandals, which has spent nearly three decades developing relationships with overseas travel agents, particularly in the United States, and more recently in Latin America, where the programme has been active for roughly 10 years.

These agents are invited to experience the resort’s golf offering first-hand, with the expectation that they will, in turn, promote the destination to their clients. That strategy is paying off more organically.

“The group leaders in each case are travel agents who’ve experienced what we offer,” Newnham said. “They came, they saw the golf course, they have experienced the resort and now they’re bringing others. These trips are built around golf, that’s the main reason they’re here.”

Among those visitors was Lauren Roturou, a travel agent and organiser of a 24-member group from the Savannah Country Club in Georgia, 19 of whom are golfers. For her, the appeal lies in the seamless blend of leisure and sport.

“I love Sandals specifically, and golf is just another inclusion,” she said. “You get to travel with people you already enjoy spending time with, play golf if you want, or just relax on the beach. It’s a great way to get everybody involved.”

Roturou noted that being able to experience the product personally is key to selling it and pointed to high-quality inclusions like access to new golf clubs, green fees and first world service as major selling points.

That sentiment was echoed by Mark Schneider, who joined the trip through word-of-mouth at his club.

“One of our members is a travel agent and said, ‘Let’s go to Jamaica,’ and the idea just spread,” he said. “Now we’ve got a big group here, and it’s been incredible.”

Schneider described the course as both challenging and rewarding, particularly for players accustomed to flatter terrain.

“It’s not flat at all; it has lots of undulations, but it’s beautiful,” Schneider said. “The greens are awesome, the course is in amazing condition, and the staff are out of this world. I’d come back anytime.”

For Latin American travel specialist Mariana De Pina, the trip carried even greater significance. Her delegation of 12 women represents the first staging of a Latin American women’s golf tournament in Jamaica, a milestone that she hopes will grow into a recurring event.

“This is a dream come true,” De Pina said. “We started this tournament in Argentina, and to bring it here is very special. The people are so kind, the course is incredible, and the hotel is very comfortable for players.”

She added that despite the disruption caused by last year’s hurricane, enthusiasm among participants remains high to the point that they are already planning a return this year.

For Sandals, the convergence of these groups underscores the broader potential of golf tourism as a driver of visitor arrivals and economic activity. While Jamaica’s golf product has long been considered a niche offering, stakeholders believe it is well-placed for expansion.

“There’s always room for more,” Newnham said. “The global golf industry is growing, and we need to position ourselves to be part of that growth.”

With several groups already expressing interest in returning and in making their trips annual fixtures, the outlook appears promising.

“What’s exciting is that they want to come back bigger and better,” Newnham said. “That’s good for us, but it’s also good for Jamaica and for golf as a whole.”

After years of committed cultivation, the seeds of Sandals’ golf strategy have not only taken root but are beginning to flourish, in what many hope will have a long-standing impact on the island’s golf and sports tourism products.

The Sandals Upton Golf and Country Club

SCHNEIDER…the greens are awesome, the course is in amazing condition, and the staff are out of this world. I’d come back anytime.