Resorts
Quite A Lady
On a beautiful summer event in Toronto, Sandals Resorts International welcomed a high-powered group of its tourist board and tour operator partners onboard the Lady Sandals for an evening of conversation and camaraderie. It was definitely a laid-back gathering with Maureen Barnes-Smith, director of sales and marketing for Unique Vacations, welcoming the 50 or so VIPs onboard “her yacht” -- well, actually, she admitted that it's the Honourable Gordon 'Butch' Stewart's (Sandals' founder) yacht, but he's loaned it to her for the next week. She told Sandals' travel trade partners...
Froemming Tapped For Promotion By Playa
Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V has promoted Kevin Froemming to the expanded role of executive vice-president & chief commercial officer. In this newly created position, Froemming assumes the key leadership role in driving Playa's commercial strategy and initiatives throughout revenue and distribution, global sales and marketing, e-commerce, as well as brand performance and deliverability. With both top and bottom line responsibility, Froemming's broadened role is designed to further leverage Playa's operational efficiency and facilitate the integrated delivery of all customer...
Four Seasons Opens in Philadelphia’s Comcast Center
On the uppermost floors of what is now the city’s tallest building and 10th highest in the United States, the all-new Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center is now open. “This exceptional new property represents the very best of Four Seasons. From architecture to design, artistry and innovation, culinary mastery and wellness expertise, we have worked closely with our visionary partners at Comcast and Liberty Property Trust to assemble an all-star team of virtuosos who are elevating Four Seasons service, quality and artistry to new heights,” says Christian Clerc,...
The Buccaneer Gears Up For Annual Coral Reef Swim
The oldest family run resort in the Caribbean, The Buccaneer in St. Croix, is gearing up for the 24th annual St. Croix Coral Reef Swim on Nov. 10. Held annually each November, the swim race attracts both fitness swimmers competing for fun and world-class, open-water athletes from all over the world. The Buccaneer’s owner, Elizabeth Armstrong, established the Coral Reef Swim in 1995 with fellow swimmer Kim Sanford as a fundraiser for the East End Marine Park, with the goal of preserving and restoring coral reefs. The race has three distances for competitors to choose from: one...
Sandals Rewards Its Winning Agents
Ten lucky agents (and a guest) from the Greater Toronto Area were treated to a private gourmet dinner last night (Aug. 8) prepared by two of Sandals' top chefs, who flew up from Jamaica for this special event hosted at Kitchen 24 in Toronto. As part of the "Book. Win. Dine" incentive for GTA agents, for all new registered bookings to any Sandals or Beaches resort that were made between June 1 and July 31 agents received one contest entry. Agents also received three bonus entries for bookings travelling in 2019. Only 10 agents were randomly chosen from all entries to receive a...
AMResorts Adds New Senior Director of Canadian Sales
AMResorts has appointed Carolina Bellina as senior director of Canadian sales and consortia relations. In this position, Bellina will develop budgets, sales and marketing plans in support of AMResorts organization strategy for the Canadian market and North American consortia relations. She will report to Claudio Zboznovits, vice-president of global sales and business development. “The Canadian market serves as the second largest market for AMResorts and is continuing to grow, so the addition of Carolina to our leadership team will allow us to better serve our partners in the...
Blue Mountain Opens ‘Ultimate Tree Fort’
Ontario's Blue Mountain Resort is offering guests a new way to enjoy the outdoors with its latest attraction, the Canopy Climb Net Adventure. Described as “the ultimate tree fort,” Canopy Climb features bouncy nets, tree houses, bridges and a watchtower, all suspended above the ground and under a covering of trees. “We are very excited about Canopy Climb as it offers an outdoor adventure for guests as young as three years old,” says Graeme Dugale, senior director of recreation and programing, Blue Mountain Resort. “It’s a great option for families with younger children,...
Changes In Jamaica
SB Resort Management Limited is ending its hotel management agreement with AMResorts for its two Montego Bay resorts, currently named Sunscape Splash and Sunscape Cove. The termination is effective Aug. 30. The Sunset Beach Resort companies previously operated and managed both properties, formerly known as Sunset Beach and The Oasis at Sunset, from May 1998 to July 2015, before turning over management to AMResorts in August 2015. Ian Kerr, managing director of the Sunset Beach Resort companies, said, “We arrived at this decision after a long and thoughtful process, and it was...