Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), announced exciting plans for the Caribbean hospitality industry. SRI is set to open a new Beaches Resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, marking the company’s second property in the idyllic destination.
The upcoming resort will be an all-inclusive, family-friendly retreat, complementing Sandals’ first Saint Vincent property—an adults-only Sandals resort that opened in 2024. This initial resort, featuring 301 rooms and suites spread across 50 lush acres, has already made waves with unique offerings such as the “Vincy Overwater Two-Story Villas” and the innovative restaurant concept, “Buccan.”
Beaches Resorts, SRI’s family-oriented brand, currently operates three properties across the Caribbean: Beaches Negril and Beaches Ocho Rios in Jamaica, and Beaches Turks and Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The new resort in Saint Vincent expands the brand’s footprint in the region, aiming to attract families seeking luxury all-inclusive experiences.
“We’re going to continue to build our company into what we call Sandals-Beaches 2.0,” Stewart said during the recent Trevello conference held in Jamaica, which took place at the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall. He emphasized that nearly $1 billion is being invested in expanding the Beaches brand, signaling a major growth phase for the company.
Later this year, SRI plans to break ground on the 600-room Beaches Barbados, a highly anticipated development featuring a “Main Street” with dining and shopping options, plus “high-energy family zones” including outdoor performance stages, a sports bar, and an arcade. Other projects include the construction of Beaches Runaway Bay in Jamaica and the transformation of Sandals Emerald Bay in the Bahamas into Beaches Exuma.
Stewart expressed strong confidence in the future of Sandals and Beaches in Saint Vincent, noting the positive response from guests and the thriving business environment. “The government asked us to build a hotel and spend $100 million – we spent $350 million,” he shared, highlighting SRI’s commitment to quality and investment in the destination.
Saint Vincent’s rise as a tourist hotspot has been bolstered by significant improvements, such as the international runway introduced in 2017. Stewart pointed out impressive growth metrics, including an 88% increase in Google search demand for the destination and a 300% rise in airlift.
“The local economy is roaring thanks to what we call the Sandals effect,” Stewart remarked. “When Sandals goes in and plants its flag, the airlines come.”
With this new Beaches Resort, Sandals Resorts International is poised to deepen its impact on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, offering families a fresh and immersive Caribbean vacation experience while supporting the destination’s continued growth and global appeal.
