Adam Stewart, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sandals Resorts International and The ATL Group, addressing the 2016 State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) at Hilton Barbados Resort, yesterday.
“Exposure through social media is revealing a truth that cannot be ignored. There are many beautiful beaches in the world and not all of them are here with us in the Caribbean. We have got to get creative. Complacency in a new media world is not sustainable, things are moving rapidly and we cannot be content when our customers are not. Things are changing, I know it, you know, every one of us in this room knows it.”
While the United States continues to be the bread basket for many regions, Stewart observed that the American traveller is evolving and has evolved. He said they have options and that they are a more sophisticated travelling consumer who yearn for authenticity and experience.
“Also, the baby boomer generation with the time and the money to go where and when they wish are being courted by destinations all around the world. And make no mistake our competition is making an impact… American Express reports that year over year, travel by Americans to Japan has grown by a whopping 60 per cent.
Stewart, whose super brand today comprises 24 resort properties across three brands and nine islands, told SOTIC 2016 that he has never been more optimist than he is right now about the future of Caribbean tourism.
He lauded the spirit of collaboration between the public and private sectors, which he said are sparking new ideas and new solutions.
“Over the years this platform has been used to talk about the urgent need for collaboration between our countries and that is certainly necessary... With renewed energy and robust dialogue, private public partnerships are new phenomenon that is fostering the very traditional values of trust and mutual respect that make lasting development possible.
We have more to do, but these partnerships are making real progress in establishing a framework for success, understanding the private sector will assume the risks that acquired for reward and that government will be a committed, trusted and long –term partner in the process,” he said.
Furthermore acknowledging that people are searching to find travel products that offer deeper and more authentic experiences, Stewart shared that this has led him to create Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, which takes visitors beyond the gates of the resorts to experience places and people of Caribbean they may have missed or didn’t know existed.
According to him, sitting on a beach sipping Pina coladas is nice, but it no longer satisfies.
“There is more to our Caribbean and our visitors want to see it, they want to experience it and they want to touch it,” he stressed.
“Social media is filled with images of people swimming with pigs in Exuma, hiking in St. Lucia Piton’s. It’s why going to Oistin’s fish fry in Barbados is a must… The truth is we know that people do come to the Caribbean for its natural sources – sun, sand and sea are the region’s hallmarks and they sell. But when treated as a commodity consumers will go where they can get those resources more conveniently and less expensive. To encourage visitors we must highlight the elements and most importantly the people that distinguish our region from anywhere else on earth.” (TL)