“We saved the best for last.” I heard someone say on Wednesday night at the SANDALS OVERDRIVE: Powered by Travel Agents Fueled by Vision unveiling event held at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. With 450 agents and partners, CEO and deputy chairman of Sandals, Adam Stewart, and “The Chairman” himself, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, all in attendance, Sandals pulled out all the stops for its travel agent partners. Not that their dynamic team would have it any other way.

The unveilings, 21 in total, with Toronto and Montreal (November 17) rounding out the series, are meant to provide a unique opportunity for agents to meet Sandals executives, while also discovering more about the latest updates to the resort company’s portfolio. The show visited 21 cities, and covered over 31,000 kilometres in a Sandals branded 18-wheeler.

Starting out with a small tradeshow-type format primarily focused on Sandals’ offerings, including a magnificent display from Sandals Weddings, the area was packed and agents were fully engaged with Sandals representatives and participating partners, including Canada’s leading tour operators, like Air Canada Vacations and WestJet Vacations, and tourism representatives from each of the seven islands on which Sandals has resorts - Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Turks & Caicos.

“Sandals Resorts has done an incredible job of developing their brand, both brand recognition and brand awareness.” Dunstan James, director of Marketing Canada for St. Lucia Tourism Authority, told TravelPulse Canada. “And with St. Lucia being a destination featuring Sandals, we have also exposed Saint Lucia to new niche markets by the very fact of our Sandals affiliation.”

Following the trade show, guests were seated for dinner and presentations and it’s testament to the importance of our tour operators’ business relationship with Sandals that senior executives from some of Canada's biggest tour operators and airlines, including Nino Montagnese, George Platanitis and Bryan Klompas from Air Canada Vacations, and Jane Clementino from WestJet, were in attendance for the event.

I spoke with Nino Montagnese, managing director of Air Canada Vacations, and asked him to tell us about their partnership with Sandals.

"Air Canada Vacations has had a very strong partnership with Sandals and Beaches since I've been in the industry and I've been in the industry over 28 years." he said. "As they've said tonight, it's about family and I truly feel that our partnership is more of a relationship. It's not just a push and pull-type relationship. We work together to make it happen."

"For example, Air Canada Vacations is probably the only tour operator in Canada that has flights to every Sandals destination." he continued. "So when they build a resort, we put a plane in, and that's pretty well known in the industry. So as a key partner, we're going to support them. They build, we fly."

"They're good, good partners." Montagnese concluded. "Tonight's event is doing a fantastic job of not only demonstrating the passion within their organisation, but that they've truly transformed all their resorts. What we're seeing tonight is phenomenal. When they talk Overdrive, it's more like Overdrive on steroids. They have done a tremendous job and I'm proud to be partnered with them and I'm looking forward to Overdriving our sales to Sandals and Beaches."

@SandalsResorts where the rum flows just as smooth as the ocean waves. #SandalsOverdrive pic.twitter.com/r3nVGGtxcb

— Lisa Boardman (@LisaAnnBoardman) November 16, 2017

As dinner ended, the presentations began, giving everyone in attendance a taste of just what OVERDRIVE has meant and means to Sandals as we move into the 2018 season.

Jeff Clarke, coming off his first year as chief operating officer for Sandals’ Unique Vacations, set the tone for the purpose of the evening when he said “We want you to sell the heck out of Sandals and Beaches.”, which was a perfect segue into honouring agents who have done just that.

The Sandals Sales team in Ontario presented four sales awards and we also heard personal anecdotes about the agents from their BDM. The following agencies and/or agents received the Chairman’s Sales Achievement Award;

- Adventure House Travel - “They have made it their mandate to shift their focus to Sandals.”

- Patricia Whalen, Carlson Wagonlit Travel – “She works very closely with me but regardless, it’s always in the front of her mind to suggest Sandals.”

- Rosie DeMartino, Polo Travel – “In August she went to Turks & Caicos on her personal family vacation. And while there, she called me to say ‘I just booked four clients to Beaches Turks & Caicos.’…on her own vacation.”

- Maria Misrendino, TRAVELPOINT – “Back in July she called me and said ‘Can I have you on Thursday for the entire day? I want to hit up four golf courses [to drum up business] and I want you to be there.”

Following the awards, the formal presentations began, with Sandals’ dynamic director of romance, Marsha-Ann Brown taking the stage to provide an update on Sandals’ Destination Weddings programme.

“The core and catalyst is ‘What does the bride want?’” said Brown in introducing Sandals’ new Aisle to Isle programme, a new concept in destination weddings. “She wants inspiration, information…and very little perspiration.”

Sandals Weddings has made the standard prepackaged wedding more open, flexible and customisable. The programme starts out with a free wedding (with a three night stay), but it’s that free wedding that the couple builds on to create their dream wedding. Essentially, à la carte weddings.

Things like adding colourful chair backs or organza curtains with floral tiebacks, or pretty much anything a couple’s heart desires, all with the help of Sandals’ Wedding Entourage. The entourage, a group involved in the planning and execution of all weddings at Sandals resorts, includes a Wedding Concierge, at the resort level; the Wedding Planner, an expert in weddings; and the Events Team, the execution experts.

They’ve also introduced a Wedding Venue Scheduler to co-ordinate and schedule weddings throughout the property.

“This will be part of our entire programme and this venue scheduler is going to be able to prioritise the preference of your clients who would like to have a specific location on the resort for their wedding instead of waiting until they don’t get to the resort.” Brown said. “But they will still be able to do that, because we’re here to tell you there is a synergy. There is pixie dust the moment they arrive on the resort…and they come and they fall in love with varied locations. We’re powered to be flexible. We’re powered to serve. And we want them to have the location of their dreams.”

She then walked through examples of the offerings, each with an “Inspired by..” tag that ties in with the programme’s new tagline “Inspired by love. Created by you. Only at Sandals.”

Inspired by Tropics. Inspired by Sophistication. Inspired by Sand and Sea. Just a few of the inspirations available for couples to use as a starting point in designing their dream destination wedding.

The programme isn’t just about customising the ceremony, because a destination wedding is so much more than that. So couples can have customised bars, like a boat filled with ice and local beer for a beach party, or a Mimosa bar for a spa day party. And the more a client books, before arriving at the resort, the more you earn.

“40 guests and up are the model for Sandals Weddings professional weddings programme. The business is growing and if you’re not a part of it, you’re missing out.” said Brown as she wrapped up her presentation. “It’s all commissionable.”

Next up was CJ Smith, Sandals’ national business development manager, who walked through some of the Overdrive initiatives and changes throughout the Sandals network of properties. A few highlights include:

- A new oceanview lobby, Oleander Room and outdoor deck at Sandals Montego Bay

- The Caribbean’s first overwater suites, including five overwater villas, with infinity pools, and 12 overwater bungalows

- Latitudes overwater bar at Sandals South Coast (formerly Sandals Whitehouse), which includes new overwater hammocks for two, and overwater bungalows opening by the end of 2017

- Four new restaurants at Sandals Emerald Bay, bringing the total to 11, and the Greg Normal designed Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Course, perfect for golf groups

- The Eastern Caribbean’s first overwater suites (and overwater chapel) at Sandals Grande St. Lucian

- A new four-lane bowling alley, barbershop and 15,000 square foot spa at Sandals Royal Barbados

Favourite event of the year #sandalsoverdrive pic.twitter.com/fp6uKWWWmh

— Michelle MacDonald (@Luv2travel4fun) November 15, 2017

Then it was time for Beaches, and the big news was the arrival of Julia, a four-year old Sesame Street character with autism. Beaches are the Caribbean’s first autism-friendly resorts, and include Autism-certified childcare professionals, and Kids Camps that are certified autism centres.

- Beaches Turks & Caicos, which made it through the hurricanes with no structural damage to restaurants or rooms, is set to reopen December 14, 2017

“We can assure you, we’re in great shape and looking forward to reopening on December 14.” said Tanya Swan, sales manager for Beaches Turks & Caicos.

In addition to Beaches Turks & Caicos, Sandals Grande Antigua will re-open December 17, and Sandals Royal Barbados will re-open December 20.

As the evening came to a close, Gary Sadler, senior vice president of sales, was recognized not only for his years of service with the company, but also for receiving one of the highest honours in Jamaica – the Honour of the Order of Distinction – which is conferred upon citizens of Jamaica who have rendered outstanding and important services to Jamaica.

Gary started with Sandals 30 years ago in Ocho Rios, then moved to New York City, then Vancouver, and then to Toronto. Eventually he relocated to Miami as vice president of Sales, the Americas, and as Sandals CEO Adam Stewart requested of the audience, from now on, he shall be known as Commander in Chief for Sales International.

Stewart then listed the company's accomplishments and their goals.

“After 70 years of tourism in the Caribbean, Sandals is the first to bring overwater bungalows. And we were the first to offer Rolls Royce transfers and à la carte restaurants. And we’ve wed more people at Sandals than any other company on earth.” Stewart said.

And Stewart also gave a hint of things to come, saying that he and his father Butch had just returned from Trinidad and Tobago where they’d signed an agreement to build both a Sandals and Beaches, concurrently, on the island of Tobago.

“Here in Toronto you have a hotel company called Four Seasons. Sandals wants to be the Four Seasons of the all inclusive sector.” he said in closing.

To close the evening, Butch Stewart took the stage, taking the time to thank his team in Canada..

“Year in, year out, we have so many partners, so many friends here in Canada. What the office here has done…under the queen herself, is amazing.” he said. “The relationships that that team has with all the travel agent community, etc, is fantastic. So I want to thank you.”

Sandals is clearly in Overdrive!

The final SANDALS OVERDRIVE event takes place today in Montreal.

Event Photos:

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