News Americas, The Valley, Anguilla, Mon. Dec. 8, 2014: Sandals Resorts International was the big winner for the Caribbean this year at the World Travel Awards held at the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa on Anguilla last night.
Sandals won nine of the top awards including for the World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company; the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand and the Caribbean’s Leading Conference Hotel for its Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island in the Bahamas.
The company, founded by Jamaican Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, the 2014 Invest Caribbean Now Leadership Awardee, also took home the awards for the Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort and the Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort for Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa.
Sandals also won the title of the Caribbean’s Leading New Hotel and the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Suite for its Sky Pool Suites at Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa; the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resortfor Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Tennis & Spa Resort, Great Exuma, Bahamas and the Caribbean’s Leading Resort for its Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort, Jamaica.
Meanwhile, the South American nation of Ecuador was recognized by World Travel Awards voters as the World’s Leading Green Destination. The Caribbean’s Leading Green Resort award went to the Puntacana Resort & Club of the Dominican Republic.
Other top awards and the winners Sunday included:
Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator – Island Routes Caribbean Adventures
Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction – Dolphin Cove, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Airline – Caribbean Airlines
Caribbean’s Leading Airport – Sangster International Airport, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Airport Lounge Club Mobay -Sangster International Airport, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading All Inclusive Family Resort – Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa
Caribbean’s Leading All Suite Hotel – Jamaica Inn
Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination – Grace Bay Beach (Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands)
Caribbean’s Leading Boutique Hotel – Rockhouse Hotel, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Boutique Resort – GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Car Rental Company – Avis
Caribbean’s Leading Casino Resort – Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Bahamas
Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination – Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Line – Norwegian Cruise Line
Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port – Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Destination – Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Destination Management Company – Suntours Caribbean
Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination – Cayman Islands
Caribbean’s Leading Heritage Attraction – Port of Falmouth, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination – Saint Lucia
Caribbean’s Leading Hotel – Coco Reef Resort, Tobago
Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Residences – The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Caribbean’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company- Island Car Rentals, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre – Montego Bay Convention Centre, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Private Island Resort – Fowl Cay Resort, Bahamas
Caribbean’s Leading Private Jet Charter – Privé Jets
Caribbean’s Leading Spa Resort- The Regent Palms, Turks & Caicos
Caribbean’s Leading Tour Operator – GO! Jamaica Travel
Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board – Jamaica Tourist Board
Caribbean’s Leading Travel Agency – Trafalgar Travel
Caribbean’s Leading Villa – Ian Fleming Villa at GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Leading Villa Resort – Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Most Romantic Destination – Anguilla
See all award winner at https://www.worldtravelawards.com/winners2014-6
Some 300 international hospitality industry leaders attended the 21st year which was hosted this year by award-winning actress Vivica Fox.
“It has been a privilege to welcome the leaders of international hospitality here to CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and to the island of Anguilla. Tonight has been nothing short of sensational and my heartfelt thanks go out to all those who have made our Grand Final 2014 such a success,” said World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said. “Congratulations to all of our winners; this is the recognition you so richly deserve.”
“Hosting the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony is a very exciting milestone for Anguilla,” added Haydn Hughes, Anguilla Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism and Sports. “Tourism is a vital part of our economy, and we have been working closely with the local and international businesses community to implement a number of ground breaking initiatives over the last two years to generate tourism growth. I am pleased to say that our hard work is bearing fruit with a solid increase in the number of tourists visiting Anguilla over this period. To welcome the World Travel Awards cements our commitment and further provides us with reason to celebrate.”
This year has been one of the most successful to date for World Travel Awards, with the annual Grand Tour beginning with the Middle East Gala Ceremony, which took place at the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai in May.
This was followed by the Europe Gala Ceremony at Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, in Athens, Greece, before the organisation was welcomed to Quito, capital of Ecuador, for the South & Central America Gala Ceremony in August.
Most recently World Travel Awards visited The Oberoi, New Delhi, in India, for the Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony, completing the regional events for the year.
The multi-award winning CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa harbor provided the exceptional setting for the World Travel Awards Gala Ceremony.
