by Mark Rogers
Sandals Resorts International (SRI) broke company records at this year’s World Travel Awards’ Caribbean & The Americas Ceremony, held October 19th in Montego Bay, Jamaica at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island. The Luxury Included Resort Company garnered 11 awards – the most awards ever won by SRI and a reflection of the continued evolution of the brand and its resorts.
The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 for the express purpose of acknowledging and celebrating achievements in all areas of the world’s travel and tourism industry. This year’s voting campaign reached a total of 183,000 travel professionals worldwide in more than 160 countries.
In addition to this distinguished feat above, Sandals Resorts International also received the notable accolade of Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand for the 18th year in a row. The Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, was on hand, along with several of the company’s top executives, to accept the awards.
“It is a true testament to our brand, and the team that supports it, to have won the highest number of awards in Sandals Resorts’ history during our 30th anniversary year,” Stewart, said. “We continue to invest in our product so that each year we can be proud to say we are Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand. Our number one priority remains to provide the best product and experience for our customers and we look forward to continuing to do so.”
With a total of 11 trophies, Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts rose above other highly acclaimed hotel brands. The Caribbean resort company’s top honors included: |
Capping the impressive showing, the World Travel Awards further honored Sandals Resorts when it presented Chairman Stewart with the organization’s first-ever Tourism Pioneer Award. Recognizing individuals whose passion, commitment and trailblazing vision significantly improve the tourism industry, the Tourism Pioneer Award honors those who set a new standard, paving a new path for generations to follow.
“It is an interesting thing to be hailed for doing something you love and that you believe in and so it is with a humble and grateful heart that I accept this award,” said Stewart. “Since we began this company, we were determined to exceed expectations, to show the world what is possible in the Caribbean and to get better at serving our guests, our partners and the destinations where we operate every single year.”
SRI has not only gained a reputation as a leader in the luxury hospitality sector, but also is known for its commitment to creating timeless vacations through exceptional services and amenities. In order to stay ahead of the curve, SRI has undertaken large scale renovation projects at several of its resorts to leverage the guest experience to new heights. These renovations are part of a $500 million plan to expand and enhance the company’s offerings in the Caribbean over the coming decade.
www.sandals.com |
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Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen.
At the World Travel Awards, our goal is to seek out those individuals who are doing more than anyone else to transform our industry – those players whose vision, courage and dedication are making tourism a force for good, and a force for change.
Here, this evening, we are honoured to have such an individual.
From humble beginnings in Kingston, his Jamaican smile and dogged determination saw him achieve early entrepreneurial success in the air conditioning business.
In 1981, with no previous hotel experience, this gutsy trailblazer purchased a struggling hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica. His passion for the Caribbean, creative leadership and commitment to quality saw the property transformed into a haven for two people in love, and today it remains the flagship of what has grown into the most successful all-inclusive brand in the world.
His philosophy is simple – finding out what people want, giving it to them, and in doing so exceeding their expectations. But, more than that, his application and vision is unrivalled, and have steered the expansion of this brand across the Caribbean, with 23 world-class resorts in five countries, and, in 2011, celebrating 30 years of pushing the boundaries of travel excellence.
Most importantly is his passion for the Caribbean, and how he carries that message through in every aspect of his marketing, advertising and sales programs. Not only by continuously supporting the various tourism boards and their initiatives, but also by investing tremendous resources into his own brand campaigns, propelling the Caribbean’s constant presence in the marketplace. From maintaining a solid relationship with the retail travel agent community since day one, by providing them with the education and tools to sell his product with complete confidence, to developing partnerships with some of the most globally recognized companies including, Sesame Street, XBOX, Martha Stewart, Greg Norman, and Beringer, to some of the most innovative consumer marketing messages such as his current MORE campaign, he continues to be a trendsetter in the industry. 
As a result, the brand has become a household name and alone has brought millions of tourism dollars into the Caribbean. It has also created thousands of jobs for local communities and boosting local economies. As a matter of fact, this company is the largest private sector employer in the Caribbean. Its global marketing initiatives have also helped spread the good word of the Caribbean to every corner of the globe, including previously untapped markets as far away such as Russia, Eastern Europe and the Far East, which in turn has generated revenue for the entire region, and fostered the development of the travel and tourism infrastructure.
Philanthropy, too, has been one of the cornerstones of his philosophy, and the Foundation set up by his son, the company’s CEO, funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment for the enhancement of the region.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen, the World Travel Awards is delighted to present, the first ever, “Tourism Pioneer Award” to an individual whose continued determination to make tourism a force of real change and betterment throughout the Caribbean never wavers… the chairman of Sandals Resorts International, the one and only Mister Gordon Butch Stewart. |
