Sandals happy with occupancy levels

Sandals Resorts Barbados is currently operating at 90 per cent occupancy and is reporting solid forward bookings for summer 2022.

Resort Manager Sandals Resorts Barbados Patrick Drake who said the resort is in the process of recovering from a business slump due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the volcanic ash-fall experience and last year’s hurricane, also shared with members of the media that bookings for group business which has not been happening for a while is also returning.

“We are seeing people coming up from Guyana, from Trinidad, Jamaica. It’s an interesting mix right now, it’s a truly international mix of Canadians, Americans, UK and the Caribbean.

“Business is looking good. We are very encouraged. We have had quite a few functions already booked for our ballroom where we hosted the function this evening, and the word is out. We see people coming back to use the spas and things of that nature,” he said.

Drake said the Sandals International brand was also pleased that other Caribbean islands, including St Vincent and the Grenadines, are beginning to open their tourism markets once again, explaining that this is an opportunity for Sandals guests to experience “split stays”.

The manager also indicated that guests have not only been commenting on how easy it was for them to get out the Grantley Adams International Airport on arrival due to relaxed COVID protocols, but many of them have been venturing out and exploring St Lawrence Gap and other parts of the island.

“It’s an exciting time, no doubt at all. In fact, we are seeing a lot of guests now that we never traditionally did. They are coming and they are spending days with us, going on a cruise and then coming back and spending time. I think it’s a great time and I encourage all hoteliers out there who may have some rooms that haven’t been refurbished or put back into operation to do so and do so quickly because I think the demand is going to go up.

“It has to be a total market, it’s not just Sandals free standing. It’s all about what does the community look like, what does the whole gap look like, what does Oistins look like. And if we can get the product at a certain standard, we are going to get the quality of guests that we really want,” he said.

Drake indicated that Sandals hosted several weddings last week and is preparing to see a tremendous rush in wedding bookings between June and September. In fact, he predicted that based on what management is seeing, this summer at Sandals may be more hectic than usual.

“What is exciting for us is our returning guests. We currently stand very close to the 40 per cent mark of guests who have been to a Sandals and Beaches Resort. As a matter of fact, quite a lot of the bookings were from 2019. They were the ones that really showed support,” he said.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb