The first time Adam Stewart donned a tuxedo and accompanied his father, the late Butch Stewart, to an awards ceremony, he was 13 years old and it was the 1994 World Travel Awards gala. It was the first time the now globally sought-after awards were handed out and the young Stewart beamed as his father was called to the stage.
This year, Adam Stewart attended the same awards ceremony, but wearing very different shoes – as Executive Chairman of Sandals.
This time it was he who addressed the crowd after the hotel chain swept the Caribbean region’s awards.
It was the 29th consecutive year that Sandals was named top hotel brand in the Caribbean, one of the most coveted titles in the industry. This year, the resort that took the concept of all-inclusive from all-in to over-the-top also won the prestigious award for Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality and Tourism Industry.
“My father would be proud to know that the marriage of hospitality, romance and luxury he envisioned and the service standards he set continue to be award-winning qualities,” said the executive chairman who stepped into the position upon the death of the founder of Sandals in January 2021.
In The Bahamas, where Sandals has three properties, its Nassau-based renovated classic Sandals Royal Bahamian won the 2022 World Travel Award for top all-inclusive resort. The resort on Cable Beach features its own private island experience, 12 dining options, two sky—sized pools, private villas in addition to the hotel, live shows, and a luxurious Red Lane Spa.
Two weeks ago, Stewart unveiled his Sandals 2.0 plan before a gathering of hundreds of travel agents and advisors at the ASTA 2022 conference at Sandals Royal Bahamian.
In interviews with international media, Sandals Resorts International’s President Gebhard Ranier credited staff for the most recent award which was presented during a star-studded event at Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica in August.
The award, he said, was “confirmation of the hard work of our 15,000 team members. It’s them who make us who we are and it’s them who encourage us to do better every day. This award goes to them.”
