Something Special For Sandals At 29th Annual World Travel Awards
The 29th Annual World Travel Awards Caribbean & The Americas Gala made a dazzling return to an in-person format on Aug. 31 at Sandals Montego Bay, acknowledging, rewarding and celebrating excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
Reuniting a spirited crowd of distinguished leaders, tour operators, government officials and guests, the event marked a full circle celebration at Sandals’ first-ever property and Jamaica’s Leading Resort 2022 recipient – a milestone moment during the brand’s 40th anniversary year.
Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), said: “It’s immensely gratifying, humbling and surreal to be celebrating the amazing strides we have made on this journey to immerse our beloved guests in the most beautiful corners of the Caribbean – and to be a part of those special moments that make travel so magical.”
Stewart continued: “Forty years ago, my father had a dream that he made real right here, at Sandals Montego Bay, our first resort. Witnessing the evolution of our industry over the decades and what we have accomplished together, as one – now that deserves to be celebrated and for that we are all winners.”
Amid spectacular cultural dance performances and stirred by Caribbean beats, over the course of the evening, SRI was honoured with 14 awards including the coveted Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand for the 29th year in a row.
New pursuits, including Sandals’ first ever resort in the Dutch Caribbean, Sandals Royal Curaçao, was awarded with Curaçao’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort, while the uniquely reimagined Sandals Royal Bahamian, which debuted in January 2022, earned Bahamas’ Leading All-Inclusive Resort.
A first-of-its-kind special award was presented to Sandals Resorts International for its Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality & Tourism Industry.
The moving tribute was a celebratory nod to the company’s influence on the industry, innovation and impact over its 40-year history. Through programs like the 40 for 40 Initiative, along with Future Goals – a program that turns fishing nets sourced from the ocean and recycled plastic waste into soccer goals for children in Curaçao, the company has been instrumental in transforming communities, empowering people and making a difference for four decades and counting.
Said Stewart: “This recognition is nothing if not a testament to our Sandals Resorts family – our 15,000 Team Members – and the fierce passion, intention and genuine love we put into all we do. From moving the needle on the guest experience to sustaining a link between tourism and its power to transform lives, what we’ve built here goes far beyond a resort company. It’s the Sandals Resorts legacy.”
And he concluded: “Tonight is proof that the challenges of yesterday should never define the possibilities of tomorrow. That is the essence of innovation; the idea that better is always within reach. And we have never been more excited for the future.”
The 14 awards won under Sandals Resorts International’s portfolio include:
- Bahamas’ Leading All-Inclusive Resort: Sandals Royal Bahamian
- Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort: Sandals South Coast, Jamaica
- Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand: Sandals Resorts International
- Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort: Sandals Grenada
- Caribbean’s Leading Resort: Sandals Royal Barbados
- Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort: Sandals Grande Antigua
- Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort: Beaches Turks & Caicos
- Curaçao’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort: Sandals Royal Curaçao
- Grenada’s Leading Resort: Sandals Grenada
- Jamaica’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort: Beaches Negril
- Jamaica’s Leading Resort: Sandals Montego Bay
- Outstanding Contribution to Caribbean Hospitality & Tourism: Sandals Resorts International
- St Lucia’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort: Sandals Grande St. Lucian
- St Lucia’s Leading Resort: Sandals Grande St. Lucian
A celebration of the vast experiences unique to the Caribbean, Sandals Resorts’ sister company, Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, won the Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator, recognized for its immersive adventures across 13 destinations.
Captions for Photos
Top photo – Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart (right) and CEO Gebhard Rainer (left) accept the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality & Tourism Industry at 2022 World Travel Awards.
Bottom photo – Sandals Resorts International takes home 14 World Travel Awards and is named Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand for the 29th year in a row.
