Sandals’ Gary Sadler to Advisors: “You Are the Most Important Part of Our Business”
by Daniel McCarthy
Gary Sandler on stage this week. Photo: Daniel McCarthy
Salt Lake City — Even as the brands continue their expansion, travel advisors remain the most important part of Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ business strategy, said Gary Sadler, executive vice president of sales and industry relations at Unique Vacations Inc., during remarks at ASTA’s Travel Advisor Conference in Salt Lake City on Wednesday.
“My presence here is a sign of our belief in ASTA and our unwavering support for what you do,” Sadler told the audience, noting it was his first visit to Utah.
He made clear that Sandals doesn’t just value advisors—it builds its entire sales strategy around them and will continue to do so. “At the end of the day, travel advisors are the most important part of our distribution system,” he said. “Every single television commercial we run ends with the words, ‘Call your travel advisor.’ Every brochure we produce says the same.”
Sadler highlighted the company’s long-standing commitment to paying advisors commissions. “We pay the highest commission of any hotel company in the Caribbean,” he said. “And we believe you should be paid for everything your clients eat, drink, and do—before they even travel.”
He stressed that supporting advisors goes beyond marketing materials and commission checks. “Every hotel in the world is beautiful. But which brands are investing in your education and product knowledge?” he asked. “Sandals is proud to be that partner.”
Sadler also shared that he personally uses a travel advisor and has gone through ASTA’s Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) program. “If you’re a supplier and haven’t taken the time to understand the challenges and opportunities advisors face, you don’t have the moral authority to speak to them,” he said.
He closed by thanking advisors on behalf of the thousands of Caribbean workers whose livelihoods depend on tourism. “I speak for the waiter in St. Lucia, the housekeeper in Turks and Caicos, the bartender in Grenada. We are all grateful for what you do every single day,” he said. “Whatever we can do to help build your business, we’re just a phone call away.”
