Gay Nagle Myers
Sales volume is one measure of a company’s success; expansion is another. Given those yardsticks, Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, a four-year-old, Jamaica-based excursion operator, appears to be batting a thousand.
Island Routes is a division of Sandals Resorts International and the brainchild of Sandals’ CEO Adam Stewart.
Stewart recalled a trip he took to South Africa in 2009: “It’s a beautiful country with magnificent scenery, people and activities. I asked myself ‘why can’t we showcase the beauty and diversity of the Caribbean to our visitors?’”
Island Routes opened for business later that year. Since then it has recorded more than 600,000 bookings on its 200 excursions in 17 resort destinations on 11 Caribbean islands, with Belize, Dominica and St. Kits and Nevis coming on board later this year.
The company launched its newest venture on Jan. 20. The River Bumpkin Farm near Trelawny is the company's first fully owned and operated property in Jamaica. Once a sugar plantation, many of the buildings used in the rum production process are still standing and will be incorporated into a historical walking tour. For visitors who want a mix of history and adventure, a bike tour past the ruins also will be included, as well as tubing and kayaking on the nearby Martha Brae River.
“Island Routes is a fabulous story. There’s so much to enjoy in the Caribbean, and the beaches are just the beginning,” said Butch Stewart, founder and chairman of Sandals.
“It’s a business that is making a valuable contribution by exposing the offerings of this region," Stewart said. "Having great hotels without exposing the great places outside the resorts doesn’t provide a meaningful experience for our visitors.”
Island Routes showcased its new headquarters in Montego Bay to delegates attending the recent Caribbean Marketplace event.
“Our motto is Live Funner, but it’s more than a slogan. It’s about positivity and making the most of every moment,” said David Shields, Island Routes' general manager. “The Live Funner philosophy is the reason our adventures are out of the ordinary and memorable. If our guests are having the time of our lives, so are we."