In this context, Travel2latam was able to talk with Arlenes García. Director of Sales and Marketing for Latin America at Sandals Resorts.
What are the expectations with which you arrive at an event like the Tourist Showcase?
This year we are super excited to be here with a Sandals booth to tell all the news. We have a resort opening in a new destination in March in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, so we are super excited. We are here with a team from Sandals Latin America; we have José Armando Rojas from Colombia, who also serves Venezuela and Ecuador; Blanca Sánchez who serves Panama and Central America; María Guadalupe Espina, who deals with Mexico; and Carlos Cuadros who works with Peru. We are happy to share with all our colleagues in the industry and to return to the topic of air connectivity that is so important to reach the destinations where our resorts are located.
What differentiates Sandals from other hotels?
Our service includes transfers, premium drinks, gastronomy, both water and land sports, fun, entertainment, beautiful and luxurious rooms. We always say that Sandals has everything you need, because everything is included. And in the case of Beaches Resort, we focus on family vacations that are so popular in Latin America and children have fun with the Sesame Street characters. We have a water park and the Kids Camp where they can go and meet friends or do activities according to their age with our Nannies, who are graduated and certified by the International Association of Nannies. That is to say, children who go to Beaches live a unique experience and that allows parents to relax, disconnect and enjoy the holidays.
So we come here to Anato, not only to reconnect with colleagues in the industry, but to tell the news and talk, for example, about Sandals Curaçao, a wonderful resort that is having a lot of popularity, especially here in Colombia, because it is very easy to get to to him with airlines like Avianca. We also have daily flights with Copa, and with American Airlines, which of course continues to connect to all our destinations.
How was the decision to assemble the team that accompanies you at this stand?
Every year we come here, and we have shared with some of our colleagues from destinations like Curaçao or the Bahamas. This year we realized that we have so much to tell about beautiful and new destinations, such as Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, that we needed a stand. We have been very popular for so many years and people ask us for a space to meet, talk and hear more about our brands. The stand allows us to reach a slightly wider audience, and for them to see the brochures that are prepared so that they fall in love with our product. It is a beautiful opportunity and an extremely positive decision.
What is the next step? Where will they be performing in the coming months?
Very soon we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Panrotas Forum in Brazil, and then we will be like every year at FIT in Argentina, and also in Gramado in Brazil. They are important fairs and we will continue to promote all our products and services there.