We the Northeast team would like to welcome our newest member of our family, Matthew Troia he will be taking care of Upstate New York, from Buffalo – Albany to  Plattsburg NY.  Matthew may be new to the travel industry, but he is very excited about working with the brand and turning a life-long passion into a career.  Matthew has a background in Anthropology and Sociology and we are certain that he will bring his knowledge of human behavior and his excellent record of customer service in both sales and health, to the business development world. 

Below is Matt's depiction of his "FIRST FAM"  in April 2012 to Jamaica

 A Feast of Firsts

The say you always remember your first; if that’s true then I won’t be able to forget a single part of my first trip to Jamaica. During my first FAM trip with Sandals resorts I had my first glass of coconut milk, my first plate of jerk chicken, and my first professional massage. All of these things were just a part of my first stay at a Sandals resort.

Let me start off by admitting that up until now I have been primarily a camper. With my backpack and a small tent I was convinced that I had all I needed to make a vacation, but now I’m spoiled. Now I have had concierge service. Now I have had phenomenal pizza on the porch of my luxurious room and all of this while staring out at the unmatched Caribbean waters as the sunset painted the sky with vibrant reds, yellows and purples. How am I supposed to go back to sleeping on the ground after this?

When you hear people talk about the service at a Sandals resort you often start thinking that you are listening to a marketing scheme. You hear the same phrases over and over; “the people are friendly, they are so warm and welcoming, etc.” These statements are all true, but at the same time they fall short of conveying just how much the staff can affect your stay. While I remember the amazing views and the delicious food it's the unexpected moments I shared with the staff that really made the trip memorable. Everyone, from the managers that greeted me on arrival, to the housekeepers that cared for an injured bird, to the young man from maintenance who helped me stay awake at 3AM when I had to catch my shuttle home, they all went out of their way to make sure I fell in love with Sandals.

As someone on my FAM once said, “It’s different in Jamaica”.   Matthew Troia may be reached for your  in-houses / Caribbean night/ change out your windows /get that wrapped car, etc….etc…….

Just think of the amount of money you have vested in your car, yes think of the cost for all those oil changes, fuel, maintenance and so forth. You would think the thing is an ungrateful member of the family! It’s time you have your car start putting some money back into you wallets. Sounds good - yes! Why not let the neighborhood know that you’re the Sandals person in the area, why are you advertising for the car maker; why not convert your car into a mobile billboard for your business.

Usually there’s a cost associated to wrap a car but we’re in a giving mode, for you we’ll wrap your existing car for free. Just ponder for a minute if it didn’t work we wouldn’t be doing it nor would other companies from various industries take interest in this quickly growing trend. I drive a Sandals “Mobile” and so does every other Business Development Manager across the United States and Canada. For each car on the road that’s $50,000 in marketing so why aren’t you grabbing your share?. In my more agile days I was a good surfer and one important lesson I learned from surfing is a good surfer catches and rides the wave in before it brakes...there’s still time for you to catch this wave. Now let your car be seen.

Want to book golf groups, but don’t know where to start? Speak with your local BDM or Groups BDM about creating spec groups. Capitalize on this lucrative market! Sandals Grande Riviera, Sandals Royal Planation, Beaches Boscobel and Sandals Emerald Bay are popular golf group destinations.

A World of Travel (Houma, LA) has very professional looking Sandals & Beaches window scrims installed on their storefront agency.  Potential clients do not wonder if the agency sells Sandals or Beaches Luxury Included Vacations.  In fact, they are drawn to the agency because it is hard to ignore the stunning graphics as they drive by. 

Does the world know that your agency specializes in Sandals & Beaches Caribbean getaway vacations?  Let them know.  Please contact your local business development manager for to order up to four FREE window scrims for your agency.  

A Millionaire Suite with Private Pool & Whirlpool at Sandals La Toc in Saint Lucia is just one of several categories where agents who complete the CSS course can earn more in 2012.

In keeping with the company’s longstanding tradition of support and recognition of its travel agent partners, Sandals Resorts has announced yet another way for travel agents to earn more in 2012. Travel agents who attend and complete a Certified Sandals Specialist workshop in 2012 can earn up to $100 for new bookings made within 30 days of the workshop.

These new Certified Sandals Specialists will earn an extra $100 for each butler category suite booking and $50 for each concierge category suite booking at any Sandals Resort or Beaches Resort.  A minimum six night stay is required and bookings must be made within 30 days of workshop attendance. Agents can find a list of upcoming workshops in their area on the online Travel Agent Portal.

Throughout each year, Sandals Resorts consistently rewards and educates its most loyal travel agents with training sessions, booking incentives and on-property site tours across Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts locations in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Antigua, The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos. Specialized travel agent programming includes the Certified Sandals Specialist program, Preferred Sandals Agency program and the Chairman’s Royal Club.

For more information on Sandals Resorts travel agent programs,  or to find an upcoming workshop in your area, visit www.sandals.com/tas, call your local Business Development Manager, or Inside Sales at 1-800-487-7324 ext 6065. Fax booking incentive forms to 305-663-4355.

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Approaching wedding season, all eyes have been glued to the runway for the past month in hopes of inspiration for gowns, glitter and wedding glam.  Illuminating the runways at Tibi, Michael Kors and Vena Cava, citrus colors were stunning in chiffon and also stained the lips and lacquered the nails of the models. Orange can also currently be seen as the preferred pigment of Sephora's "Color of the Year" campaign. Decidedly so, orange vibrantly set the trend as the season's 'it' color.

Now, at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, you can incorporate this hot hue into your destination wedding! Not only can you choose from our exclusive beach-chic tailored themes, but now with the April launch of the launch of WeddingMoons - Your Wedding. Your Style, brides can customize every detail of their big day. 10 different color palates are available to choose from, including saturated tones such as our "tangerine" color scheme, so you can make your wedding as unique and chic as you. From cupcakes to fine linens, ribbons to robust bouquet, Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts offers every detail to your whim.

The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, will commemorate World Earth Day 2012 with a number of “green” activities intended to involve Sandals Foundation team members, resort guests, and local students of its adopted schools across the Caribbean. 

The Sandals Foundation has organized numerous green initiatives that will take place on April 19.  Activities available to guests of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts include a beautification project at Rokers Point Primary School in Exuma, Bahamas, as well as the planting of vegetable gardens at several locations across the Caribbean including the Bahamas AIDS Foundation in Nassau, Mount Airy School in Negril, Jamaica, the Culloden Early Childhood Institute in Whitehouse, Jamaica, Albion Primary and Junior Schools in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Clement Howell High and Enid Capron Primary Schools in Turks and Caicos.

Additionally, Sandals Resorts International’s team members from the Ocho Rios region of Jamaica will participate in a tree planting project at Dunn’s River Watershed on April 19 in conjunction with the local Forestry Department, where they plan to plant approximately 200 native trees.  On the island of Saint Lucia, the resort company’s team members will take part in an all-day clean-up of garbage alongside local community members.

Guests of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts are invited to sign up for the Sandals Foundation’s Earth Day activities through Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours.  This week’s events will be in place of the Foundation’s weekly Reading Road Trip excursion, and will cost $20 per person for ages 13 years and older.  Children between the ages of 8 and 12 are complimentary, and all minors must be accompanied by an adult.

The environmentally-friendly activities will continue throughout the month as visiting guests of Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa will be invited to visit the Cedar Grove Primary School on April 23 to assist students there in planting their own vegetable garden.

“Creating vegetable gardens and planting trees are such valuable ways of developing a connection with an appreciation of nature,” said Heidi Clarke, Sandals Foundation’s Director of Programs.  “The children have fun while learning about the benefits of healthy eating, pollination, community development and an understanding of why we need to work in tandem with our environment.  Every school throughout the Caribbean should make it a part of their curriculum,” Clarke noted.

The Sandals Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was created to continue and to expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken.  It is the culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where they operate across the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment.   One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at www.sandalsfoundation.org.