Connect with us

Caribbean News

A CHAMPION FOR JAMAICA: TRAVEL ADVISORS IMMERSE IN “JAMAICA LOVE” DURING SANDALS® RESORTS’ LARGEST CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ADVISOR EVENT EVER

Published

on

Dr. The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Jamaica Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett; SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart; and Gary C. Sadler, shared the morning with local Jamaican entertainers and artisans just outside the Montego Bay Convention Center.

 

~ Weeklong “Sandals Jamaica Love Tour 2024” Celebrates Destination, Highlighting Connections Between Public and Private Sectors and Major Tourism Infrastructure Investment ~

 

Dr. The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, gave the keynote speech at the Jamaica Love Showcase, where he shared plans for more seamless connectivity around the island via new bypasses and international airports.

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – Family-owned and operated Sandals Resorts, the Caribbean’s most awarded luxury all-inclusive resort company, made an impressive case for its home country of Jamaica recently, welcoming nearly 1,000 attendees to its Jamaica Love Showcase, where Dr. The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica applauded the resort brand on its far-reaching impact, “Sandals represents the best example of Jamaica fulfilling its potential.” The prime minister in his keynote address also announced that new airports, roadways and other infrastructure will better connect the island for visitors.

The Jamaica Love Showcase is part of a week-long event from October 13-20 aptly named the “Sandals Jamaica Love Tour 2024,” and is immersing travel advisors and partners into the celebrated island’s beauty, safety and limitless opportunity, with a diverse itinerary that includes comprehensive Sandals Resorts and Beaches® Resorts tours, Island Routes excursions, Sandals Foundation activities, and exclusive networking events.

The Jamaica Love Showcase

Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart, on stage at the Jamaica Love Showcase, where he thanked travel advisors and reaffirmed the brands’ commitment to their craft and to the Caribbean – a region with a bigger future anywhere on the planet.

Designed to demonstrate the crucial connections between public and private sectors that create the foundation for successful tourism, the unprecedented Jamaica Love Showcase welcomed hospitality executives, international media and more than 700 travel advisors to the Montego Bay Convention Center on October 16th. A vendor market of local artisans, music by the Silver Birds steel drum orchestra, and culinary displays reflecting signature dining experiences from across the resort portfolio set the tone for the Jamaica-centric event. Speakers from the highest echelons of government took the stage including Hon. Prime Minister Holness, US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nick Perry, and Jamaica Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett. Strategic partners, including executives from American Airlines, Air Canada Vacations, Travel Leaders, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), also addressed the audience with compelling insights and a bright path forward for the destination. Adding to a dynamic lineup of speakers, two resonating thought leadership panels highlighted innovations in hospitality, sustainability, continued team member engagement and more.

“Jamaica’s tourism is everybody’s business, an intertwined ecosystem that brings farmers and taxicab drivers, travel advisors and prime ministers, fishers and pilots together as one,” said Sandals Resorts Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, who also serves as an Ambassador/Special Investment Envoy for Tourism for Jamaica. “The story of Sandals is the story of Jamaica… to always, together, work toward better. That is at the heart of our superbrand and forged in our homegrown values of hard work, exceeding expectations and trust in those who lift you up, who believe in you. That is the lasting legacy of my father, the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart, who taught me to cherish relationships with those who care as much as you do, who share your dreams of better and who will complement your gifts with their own,” said Stewart.

Jamaica Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, gave the closing speech at the Jamaica Love Showcase, where he acknowledged Travel Advisors as the island’s most important partners in making tourism the number one economic activity in Jamaica, enabling 11 consecutive quarters of economic growth.

A Lasting Relationship with Travel Advisors

Opening remarks were delivered by Gary C. Sadler, OD, Executive Vice President of Sales & Industry Relations at Unique Vacations, Inc. (UVI), an affiliate of the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, who spoke about the importance of travel advisors in the brand’s success.

“Travel advisors are the single most effective tool in changing hearts and minds and most importantly, moving the needle,” said Sadler. “We know that informed advisors, prepared with firsthand knowledge and experience, are the ambassadors for this moment. They have the trust of their clients and this event was designed to empower them further, giving them the tools they need to promote Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in Jamaica confidently and passionately.”

Following a group Reading Road Trip experience earlier in the week, Chairman’s Royal Club travel advisors attending the Jamaica Love Tour surprised their hosts with an $81,000 USD donation to the Sandals Foundation on the Jamaica Love Showcase stage.

Accuracy and Advocacy

One of the key themes woven throughout the conference was aligning perception with reality when it comes to the success of Jamaica and the safety of visitors in Jamaica.

Sandals Resorts’ Chief Experience Officer Jessica Shannon led discussions on the state and future of sustainability in the Caribbean, the company’s commitment to investing in its people, and the wider impact of its role in the island’s Linkages Council.

“There is only one Jamaica,” said Stewart. “Jamaica is having a moment. It’s an extraordinary moment. Our unemployment is at 4.5% right now. Our debt to GDP [ratio] has been cut in half… Our national reserves are 3x higher than they were while I was growing up. The Jamaica brand has never been bigger. Jamaica is a rockstar Caribbean island and has never hit harder.”

During his address, Hon. Prime Minister Holness ensured that his administration is working hard to reinforce that Jamaica’s brand is a safe, secure, sustainable, and seamless destination.

“There are so many things that are happening in Jamaica that have not yet made it into the consciousness of the world, so that Jamaica is properly placed and positioned in the minds of our tourists, visitors, and people who would want to do business with us,” said Hon. Prime Minister Holness. “Our friends in the tourism and travel industry who are here are very important partners in us achieving our goals. It’s important that when advisors bring visitors to Jamaica, it’s clear they are not just helping the hotels. The dollar of that visitor is making its way into the pocket of a family that will benefit, grow and develop.”

Major Tourism Infrastructure Unveiled

Gary C. Sadler, OD addresses a spirited group of Travel Advisors and industry partners as the master of ceremonies at the Jamaica Love Showcase in Montego Bay.

Received with great fanfare, Hon. Prime Minister Holness also announced the incredible investment the destination is making in the island’s infrastructure, most notably with a new international airport in Negril, a new terminal at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, improvements to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, and building new roads on the southeastern coast to better connect the island, which will create an entirely new dimension of tourism in Jamaica.

Investment in Jamaica is Investment in the Future

Summarizing the impact of the day, Jamaica Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett was frank. “This is perhaps the single most immersive tourism, thought leadership summit, that Jamaica has ever had. And it is important that it happens now. And it is important that it is happening to the number one indigenous product of the Caribbean, Sandals Resorts International,” Minister Bartlett. “I felt what it means to regenerate, to reimagine, to reposition, to reconcile, and to create, in fact, the renaissance, that will move Sandals and Jamaica tourism to the next level.”

Travel Leaders’ Stephen McGillivray addresses the crowd during the Jamaica Love Showcase: “This is our opportunity to use our influence as professional advisors and deliver a message to our clients that Jamaica is a top choice for 2025 and beyond.”

Since Sandals Montego Bay opened its doors in 1981, the brand has continued to invest in Jamaica, developing programmes such as the Sandals Corporate University to uplift and prepare rising hospitality talent, to the Sandals Foundation, the brand’s philanthropic partner aimed at improving the lives of Caribbean communities where the brand operates — and, most importantly, Sandals’ expansive development and continued innovation in the hospitality space that keeps Jamaica one of the most visited destinations in the world.

“Always, we move toward better,” said Stewart. “This is Sandals 2.0 – a new chapter built on innovation, deeper connectivity, and the same commitment to excellence that’s always set us apart. Together, with our incredible partners and the community that inspires us, we’re continuing to build Brand Jamaica. This gathering is a testament to the connectivity between our organization, government and our travel partners in the private sector, demonstrating that together, we can affect significant and meaningful change in our beloved destination, recognizing Jamaica for its beauty, convenient accessibility, affordability, safety and endless possibilities. Jamaica is here and ready for you now.”

Sandals and Beaches Team Members perform for a group of 700 Travel Advisors at the Jamaica Love Showcase in Montego Bay on October 16th.

An array of local entertainers, including Jamaican singer-songwriter Christopher Martin, energized the crowd with performances and special surprises throughout the showcase.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

Published

on

Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Mottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election

Published

on

Barbados, February 12, 2026 – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was this afternoon officially sworn in for a third consecutive term, hours after delivering one of the most emphatic election victories in Caribbean political history — another complete capture of all 30 seats in Barbados’ House of Assembly.

The ceremony, conducted by President His Excellency Lt. Col. The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, marked the formal start of a new administration following the February 11, 2026 general election, which returned the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power with a renewed and overwhelming mandate.

In a statement after taking the oath, Mottley said she accepted the responsibility “with humility and resolve,” thanking the people of Barbados for placing their trust in her leadership once again and urging national unity as her government begins its new term. Attorney Wilfred Abrahams was also sworn in as Attorney General.

The result is historic not only for its scale but for its consistency. This is the third straight general election in which the BLP has won every constituency, reinforcing Mottley’s dominance in national politics and extending an unmatched era of one-party control in the modern democratic period.

Voting day unfolded under the watch of a CARICOM Election Observation Mission, led by Antigua and Barbuda’s Supervisor of Elections Ian Hughes and supported by senior electoral officials from Belize and Jamaica. The team engaged key institutions ahead of the poll and monitored the process across the island.

Regional leaders were swift in their congratulations.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali described the outcome as “emphatic and historic,” saying the clean sweep reflected how deeply Mottley’s leadership has connected with Barbadians and expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two countries.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness also hailed the victory, noting that her re-election provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation within CARICOM and advance shared regional priorities.

The scale of the win again leaves Barbados without a parliamentary opposition, a reality that has become a defining feature of the political landscape since 2018. Supporters argue the repeated mandate reflects public confidence in Mottley’s stewardship of economic reform, climate diplomacy, the transition to a republic, and Barbados’ expanding global influence.

Now, newly sworn in and backed by another unanimous parliamentary majority, Mottley begins a third term with both extraordinary political capital and equally high expectations at home and across the region.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Liberty Caribbean Committed to ‘Elevating Region’ at CANTO  

Published

on

Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago

Liberty Caribbean is Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and 42nd AGM

 

Port of Spain, TRININDAD & TOBAGO (February 1, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow. Liberty Business and BTC, has reaffirmed its commitment to turning regional connectivity into measurable economic and social outcomes as Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and its 42nd Annual General Meeting.

CANTO is the leading regional body that brings together telecommunications operators, ICT providers, regulators, governments, and industry partners to support the development of the Caribbean’s digital and communications landscape.

Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago delivered the sponsor’s address on behalf of Liberty Caribbean.

“The work of laying fibre and lighting towers is done; connectivity is now our foundation,” she said.

“The real task before us is to translate that foundation into innovation, productivity and prosperity for our people. Intelligent connectivity, such as networks designed for 5G, AI and IoT, will be the platform for smarter public services, more resilient systems and scaled opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs.”

Martin-Sulgan emphasised that infrastructure alone will not deliver sustainable progress.

“Digital progress must become digital prosperity. That means creating career pathways for young people, helping local businesses scale and ensuring citizens across our communities can fully participate in the digital economy. A connected Caribbean should also be a confident, creative and globally competitive Caribbean,” she said.

Liberty Caribbean is represented by a senior delegation at CANTO Connect to support the conference objectives of aligning policy, investment and execution across the region under this year’s theme ‘Elevate the Caribbean – From Connectivity to Global Competitiveness’.

Liberty Caribbean’s delegation includes Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer; Desron Bynoe, VP and General Manager, Flow Barbados; Susanna O’Sullivan, VP and General Manager, North Caribbean; Marilyn Sealy, Senior Director, Head of Communications; Dominic Boon, VP, People; Daniel Neiva, Chief Commercial Officer, B2B; Bradley Ramcharan, Director, B2B, Trinidad & Tobago; Yolande Headley, Country Manager, Dutch East Caribbean; and Jade Reymond, Country Manager, Flow Anguilla.

Martin-Sulgan thanked CANTO’s local secretariat for convening the forum and urged delegates to convert conversation into action.

“If we align policy, capital and capability, the Caribbean can move from connectivity to competitiveness. Liberty Caribbean will continue to invest in resilient networks, nurture homegrown talent and partner to deliver measurable social and economic value across our markets,” she said.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING