The 29th Annual World Travel Awards™ Caribbean & The Americas Gala made a dazzling return to an in person format on August 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.
“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,” said Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, (SRI). Adam Stewart. “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, were 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 programmes like the 40 for 40 Initiative, along with Future Goals – a programme 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.
“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,” said Stewart. “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.”
Big wins
The 14 awards won under Sandals Resorts International’s portfolio are:
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, recognised for its immersive adventures across 13 destinations.
World Travel Awards™, which celebrates its 29th anniversary in 2022, is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence – voted on by qualified executives working within travel and tourism and the consumer travel buyer.
