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Sandals and Beaches Resorts Announces New Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us and Offers New Cancellation Protection Benefit

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Trust and confidence are increasingly becoming top priorities for consumers as they begin to safely travel to their dream destinations once again. This is why Sandals® Resorts and Beaches® Resorts are giving guests sun, sand, relaxation and even more confidence when booking thanks to two new added perks to its Book With Confidence program. The Luxury Included® resort company is offering a new Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us, powered by Trip Mate, that will be purchased on behalf of guests automatically and is part of their travel reservation as of October 6, 2020. Not only does this apply to new reservations, but this perk built to help put consumers’ minds at ease also applies to all pre-existing Sandals and Beaches bookings made prior to October 6, 2020 and traveling through May 31, 2021. Additionally, travelers can cancel their resort getaway at any time and plan their future vacation with confidence thanks to a new Cancellation Protection Benefit* by Unique Vacations.

“Travelers making vacation plans to the beautiful Caribbean can feel more confident than ever about their trip to paradise thanks to these two new added perks to our Book With Confidence program,” stated Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. 

“We know couples and families alike are yearning for a much-needed Luxury Included® getaway, and we’re pleased to offer these benefits so they can book their vacations with an added layer of reassurance.”

As island nations began to open borders, Sandals Resorts became the first resorts to open its doors across the Caribbean. The strict protocols that Sandals and Beaches Resorts developed allowed for 12 of its 18 resorts to open, showing that Sandals and Beaches Resorts goes above and beyond to ensure consumers can enjoy their vacation with confidence, from arrival to departure. With its reimagined Book With Confidence program in place, travelers can book their vacation and focus on what really matters – quality time with loved ones at the most luxurious resorts in the Caribbean.

Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us!

To offer guests even more protection, Sandals and Beaches Resorts have added a new Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us powered by Trip Mate that will be purchased on behalf of guests. The plan offers couples booked now through December 31, 2020, expanded medical benefits during their resort stay. 

What the Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us covers: 

  • Medical expenses incurred as part of a treatment for illness, condition and/or accident. COVID-19 is treated the same as any other sickness.
  • Transportation expenses to the nearest facility capable of providing treatment for a sickness or injury that is acute, severe or life-threatening.  Transportation expenses to return home are also covered following an emergency medical evacuation (or a covered injury or sickness). Maximum Benefit of $100,000 Per Person
  • There is no exclusion for pre-existing conditions.  
  • If a guest’s travel plans are delayed due to the guest being quarantined, the Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us reimburses expenses for additional accommodations, meal and local transportation. Maximum Benefit $200 Per Day, Per Person and up to $2,800
  • There is no minimum or maximum age limit for eligibility.

All bookings made prior to October 6, 2020 with a purchased add-on of the Trip Mate Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us Plan will receive a Supplemental Travel Protection Plan that covers:

  • Expanded insurance coverage for Emergency Medical Evacuations. Additional $50,000 per person
  • Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses. Additional $75,000 per person
  • If a guest’s travel plans are delayed due to the guest being quarantined, the Supplemental Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us covers up to an additional $2,050 per person Maximum.

Cancellation Protection Benefit*

From now until December 31, 2020, guests booking a Luxury Included® Vacation will have the added perk of knowing they can cancel their vacation at least 31 days before arrival and receive a full refund on the land portion of their vacation with zero penalties. Guests cancelling 30-15 days before arrival will receive a combination of a 50 percent refund and 50 percent travel certificate for future travel to any Sandals or Beaches Resort within 12 months. Travelers also have the added perk of canceling within 14 days and up to the day of arrival for a travel certificate valid for 12 months from original travel date. 

*This benefit is provided by Unique Vacations and is not an insurance benefit. This benefit is separate from any Travel Protection Plan.

Sandals and Beaches Resorts are doing everything possible to provide a safe, seamless and stress-free experience so that guests can continue to book their Luxury Included® Vacation with full confidence. This Cancellation Protection Benefit, along with the Travel Protection Plan – Insurance Is On Us and the Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness and Beaches Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness, allows travelers to escape to the Caribbean with the trust they have come to expect.

For more information on how to Book With Confidence, visit:

Sandals: https://www.sandals.com/book-with-confidence/

Beaches: https://www.beaches.com/book-with-confidence/

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MEDIA CONTACT: 1-888-SANDALS, [email protected]

Sandals and Beaches Resorts Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Suiteheart Sweepstakes & Exclusive Offer

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Sandals® Resorts and Beaches® Resorts are celebrating love all February long with their Valentine’s Day Suiteheart Sweepstakes. From now until February 29, guests can enter for a chance to win a 7-day, 6-night romantic retreat in a Love Nest Butler Suite® at any Sandals Resort or a Together Nest Suite® at any Beaches Resort in the Caribbean. With more quality inclusions than any other resort – from unlimited 5-Star Global Gourmet™ dining to exhilarating water sports and endless entertainment – Sandals and Beaches Resorts are thrilled to give guests and their loved ones the ultimate vacation getaway to their most exclusive and sought-after suites in the Caribbean.

However, the Luxury Included® resort company isn’t stopping there, because it is the month of love after all. In addition to the Valentine’s Day Suiteheart Sweepstakes, Sandals and Beaches Resorts are elevating the holiday even further with their exclusive Valentine’s Day 2020 offer, which invites guests to celebrate their love for one another on the most romantic day of the year. Now through February 14, guests who book a Luxury Included® vacation of six nights or more at any Sandals or Beaches Resort, for travel now through December 26, 2021, are eligible to receive the following bonus add-ons:

For Sandals Resorts Bookings: PrivateCandlelight Dinner for Two and Double Heart Necklace & Earring Gift Set with Crystals by Swarovski®.

For Beaches Resorts Bookings: $250 Red Lane® Spa credit and Double Heart Necklace & Earring Gift Set with Crystals by Swarovski®.

The experts in everything love and romance are thrilled to extend intimate add-ons to make its guests’ vacations even more special. Whether it’s a romantic Private Candlelight Dinner for Two under the stars featuring the very best in 5-Star Global Gourmet™ dining, a bottle of Ruffino Prosecco and unlimited pours of Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks® wines, or a relaxing massage at the award-winning Red Lane® Spa using the $250 credit, guests are guaranteed to strengthen their love in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Not to mention, guests of both Sandals and Beaches Resorts will receive a Double Heart Necklace & Earring Gift Set with Crystals by Swarovski® to cherish forever.

For more information on Sandals and Beaches’ Suiteheart Sweepstakes, please visit www.sandals.com/Suiteheart2020 or www.beaches.com/Suiteheart2020.

To redeem Sandals and Beaches’ Valentine’s Day 2020 offer, guests or travel agents must register their booking within 72 hours of creating the booking at https://www.sandals.com/specials/valentines-day-registration/ or https://www.beaches.com/deals/valentines-day-registration/.

Please note that this offer is valid for new bookings only, and blackout dates apply.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alexa Mechanic [email protected] 646-935-3999

Jamaica Tourism Minister Bartlett announces Luxury Planet Hotel for Jamaica

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Jamaica Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett today announced that a Sunwing Travel Group led luxury Planet Hollywood Hotel & Resort will break ground in Trelawny next year.

This follows a meeting in Toronto, Canada today with President and CEO of Sunwing Travel Group, Stephen Hunter. Minister Bartlett said it was agreed that the development of the over 600 room hotel will move forward.

“The addition of these rooms to Trelawny will give the area a major boost in terms of job creation, linkages with many other areas of the Jamaican economy including agriculture and other social and economic opportunities. It will also impact our overall arrivals for the country which continues to see unprecedented growth in visitors and earnings,” said Minister Bartlett.

Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts offer an engaging and interactive experience, incorporating popular culture from movies, music, sports, and entertainment into every guest’s stay and is one of world’s most recognizable brands.

“Additional room stock remains a pillar in ensuring Jamaica has new and exciting offerings to attract more visitors to our shores. This is part of our strategic planning to keep Jamaica top of mind and boost our arrivals and earnings,” added Minister Bartlett.

The Minister is in Canada with Jamaica Tourist Board officials including JTB Head Donovan White for a series of meetings with key stakeholders. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

ILTM Asia Pacific 2019: Luxury travel ‘mindstyle’ shifts from indulgence and status to health and wellness

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Travel brands must significantly upgrade their health & wellness proposition to better connect with the new mindstyle of luxury travelers in Asia Pacific (APAC). Plant-based dining, MediSpa and digital detoxing are just some of the expectations of the new wave of luxury consumers across APAC, while there is huge gap between the simple vegetarian options, massage rooms and ‘free WiFi’ being offered by some travel businesses today.

Such findings are made clear in a new insight report by Reuter: Intelligence, created in partnership with the ILTM Asia Pacific, that analysed the key sectors and leading case studies of health and wellness in APAC and how a new consumer mindstyle is set to impact the travel market.

Lee Folland, Research Director of Reuter: Intelligence said, “The report, analysing diverse categories of industry, discovered that luxury Asian consumers now have a health and wellness mindstyle – both their mindset and lifestyle are centred around the world of wellness. This means that travel and hospitality businesses must shift away from simply promoting intangible ‘escapes’ to tangible, results-based holistic health and wellness.”

Asian wellness mindstyle across diverse sectors

The diverse aspects of wellness mindstyle presented in the report look at where each industry sector was, is now – and where it’s heading – across various categories. Health & wellness travel in the region is distinct from its western counterpart, with regional cultures having a different take – and historic experience – with wellness.

Alison Gilmore, Portfolio Director of ILTM said, “This report is a deep dive into an awe-inspiring new segment, packed full of actionable insights that business leaders will find both timely from a strategic perspective, and fascinating from a personal one. One thing is for certain; things are changing and they are changing fast. But, armed with the right data and the right interpretation, no other industry is better placed to capture and serve this explosion of need.”

Luxury travel must catch up with the wellness industry

The Global Wellness Summit (GWI) Global Wellness Tourism Economy report stated that the industry is worth USD 4.2 trillion globally, a year-over-year growth of over 12%. In APAC, the corporate wellness market alone is expected to reach US$7.4 billion by 2024 (transparency market research) representing a growth rate of 9%, and Asia has been the fastest-growing region in both wellness tourism trips and revenues for each of the last five years.

Affluent Asian consumers are seeking new forms of wellness experiences in the face of hectic modern lifestyles and the pressures brought by professional demands, environmental pollution and the invasion of social media. This is greatly impacting the travel industry as consumers look to combine their wellness mindstyle with the escapism of luxury tourism.

The consumer drive for health and wellness means that they are exploring innovative and exciting wellness throughout forms of hobbies, sports, relaxation and life. While a fitness centre and spa may have been the sum total of a luxury resorts ‘wellness’ offering in years gone by, the most pioneering brands are now offering retreats with holistic wellness, featuring cutting-edge techniques, technologies and services.

eTN is a media partner for ILTM.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Lucy Clifton: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 208 334 4003 / +44 (0) 7973 464273 (WhatsApp)

Nina Gardiner:[email protected] Tel: + 44 (0) 7770 306689 (WhatsApp)

ILTM: Three consumer archetypes driving wellness and luxury travel in Asia

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At the forefront of luxury travel trends, International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific opened in Singapore. To mark the occasion, ILTM released its latest research identifying three consumer archetypes that travel brands should be on the lookout for to capitalize on the escalating wellness and luxury travel sector. According to the latest Global Wellness Institute (GWI) report, wellness tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in the wellness economy today and Asia Pacific is now the fastest growing market, catapulting its future value to US$252 billion.

Commissioned by ILTM, the report is produced by CatchOn, a Finn Partners company and is available online at view.iltm.com. The study is the result of 50 one-on-one interviews with travelers, luxury tour operators, spa consultants, travel journalists, wellness destination resorts and hospitality brands based in Asia Pacific. The report identifies three consumer archetypes who will be driving the future of wellness tourism in Asia: Female Travelers, Affluent New Agers and Chinese Millennial Millionaires.

Cathy Feliciano-Chon, Managing Partner of CatchOn, presented the research in a keynote speech at the ILTM Asia Pacific Opening Forum. The overwhelming statistics reflect the growing wellness industry in the region: China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia all clocked 20+% annual gains last year and the market will essentially double from 2017–2022.

As Ms. Feliciano-Chon explained: “Asian traditions and healing philosophies – from yoga, Ayurveda to traditional Chinese medicine’s concept of balance and energy – have influenced virtually every aspect of the wellness industry for several decades. Review any spa menu or retreat package in the world and you will inevitably find Asia’s influence. International travel brands, wherever they are in the world, should take this opportunity and be part of this dynamic region’s outbound travel.”

Wellness has become a dominant consumer value and lifestyle driver, profoundly changing behavior, choices and spending decisions. Wellness trips now represent 6.5% of all tourism trips taken worldwide, growing a massive 15.3% annually to reach 830 million trips each year. In the midst of this explosive growth, Asia-Pacific now ranks second – at 258 million wellness trips annually – just behind Europe, according to GWI.

The research dives deeper into the GWI’s assessment of wellness tourism by recognizing two types of wellness travelers: Primary and Secondary. GWI defines primary wellness travelers as those who see wellness as the main purpose for their trip and choosing a destination. The second group see wellness as an add-on to the reason for their trip – but both can be the same person taking different types of trips at different times. For every primary wellness trip taken in Asia, there are 13 more secondary wellness trips.

Key Highlights:

Female Travelers:

• Women’s spending power is surging: From 2013-2023, the global incomes of women will grow from US$13 trillion to US$18 trillion.

• Female travelers present the highest customer lifetime value because they engage in wellness travel the longest.

• It’s the guru that matters the most. Retreats are built around the cult of fitness and yoga celebrity instructors and life coaches.

• Women are putting solo trips on their bucket list. Solo, but in the company of others.

• Wellness for women has gone beyond yoga and detoxes into hormonal imbalance and cellular aging.

• There’s been a boom in women’s-only walking clubs in Australia and tours like Walk Japan as well as self-imposed hiking trail challenges.

Affluent New Agers

• A high concentration of wealth in Asia, combined with longer life expectancies, have made aging aspirational. Asians have the means to pursue wellness in earlier stages of life.

• These luxury travelers want to achieve and maintain quality of – not only life – but lifestyle.

• Affluent New Agers are still value conscious and are more demanding in ensuring they get the very best for their money.

• New Agers are spending upwards of US$200k per trip.

• Demand has driven some tour operators to create special packages that combine physical activity with luxury experiences.

• Rising acceptance for LGBTQ+ in Asia creates potential for brands to capture this segment.

• Affluent New Agers are drivers for medical tourism.

Chinese Millennial Millionaires

• China’s middle classes are growing exponentially, producing more millionaires and billionaires.

• Wellness is the new status symbol among the 400-million Chinese millennials

• Health-conscious behaviors once associated with older generations are now embraced by millennials.

• Wellness trends include:

o Adventure, sports, educational courses
o Weekend anti-stress getaways
o Hidden all-inclusive resort locations
o Retreats for spiritual pursuit
o Action-packed itineraries
o Off-the-beaten track destinations, local immersions

Alison Gilmore, Portfolio Director ILTM & Lifestyle Portfolios, speaking about how this growth sector is being integrated across the ILTM portfolio said: “We take the subject of health and wellness very seriously, and we announced at the end of last year that it would be an ongoing theme within each of our events, whether it’s a specialist area devoted to hands on treatments, advice as well as practical advice and trends research. All our guests at every ILTM will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in how this business can increase theirs wherever they are in the world, as well as take time out themselves to enjoy a bit of pampering.”

eTN is a media partner for ILTM.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Nina Gardiner | (44) 7770 306689 | [email protected] , Lucy Clifton | (44) 7973 464273 | [email protected]