On Global Travel Advisor Day, This is Why We Need the Matchmakers

When you see a shoutout for Global Travel Advisor Day, perhaps the digital mindset kicks in with a question: What’s the advantage of working with a travel advisor? It’s true, you can browse thousands of travel destinations around the world on the same device that’s showing you this story. You can use dozens of search engines to reserve flights, hotel rooms, and excursions — all by yourself, with your very own fingers.

“The choices seem to be endless,” says Carol Beth Scott, owner of 3D Travel.
Endless choices. It sounds fabulous … until you take two steps into endlessness. Even at the Sandals and Beaches websites, you can use a booking tool to nail down a destination, dates, and a suite. But that simple strategy opens up its own set of questions.

Which of the nine Caribbean islands would fit us best? Which of the many resorts? Which suite? Which month and which days?

How can you be absolutely sure you’re making the best decision for you?
“There’s a perception that using the internet for travel planning is a convenience, and it is, but it’s also likely to make the process overwhelming,” says Mai Da Pra of the Nexion Travel Group, breaking apart one common myth. “But the internet can only take you so far.” She makes a good point. Has an algorithm ever gone swimming in the ocean at Pigeon Island Beach at Sandals Grande St. Lucian? Has Chat GPT carried on conversations with people who live and work on the islands, or listened to their recommendations? Can technology tell the difference between a third-floor view of the sea in Antigua and a beachfront view in Grenada?
No. No. No.

On the other hand, Kameish Stanley of Oasis Travel Network is an actual traveler. Her feet, taste buds, and eyes have been all around the Caribbean. It’s all for the sake of research, so she isn’t bragging when she says, “I’ve tasted jerk chicken at all the Jerk Shacks in Jamaica. I’ve sipped pinot grigio and snacked on local plantain chips in a Rondoval suite at Sandals Regency La Toc in St. Lucia. I could talk for hours about the best places for sunset, for lobster, for ...”

Stanley could go on and on about morning views, afternoon naps, and evening vibes at each oceanside destination, all of which turns the question of “Why use a travel advisor?” into a far more logical question.
“Why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the firsthand experiences of a travel advisor?” says Stanley. “You should think of travel advisors as the trusted friend who knows the unique personality and culture of each island, and who knows you, too. They’ll have your back every step of the way — from the planning and booking to the arrival of the flight through the trip of a lifetime.”

In other words, travel advisors are truly matchmakers.

“We think of this as a relationship with each traveler,” says Scott. “It is never an impersonal transaction.”

If anything, using a travel advisor runs opposite of a transaction.
“It doesn’t cost anything to utilize our expertise,” says Da Pra. “We know where to find perks and upgrades, and the overall best value — not simply the lowest price — for the best vacation possible.”

Every travel advisor who works with Sandals and Beaches fits the DNA of the brands and of their team members — a DNA that doesn’t exist in a computer screen. A vacation more than 20 years ago came at just the right time for Scott and her family. To this day, she considers that trip the wellspring of her desire to help others. She launched the 3D Travel Network not a group of hobbyists or bloggers, but as professional curators of fun. In fact, advisors like Scott want the aura of a Caribbean escape to start long before a couple or family packs the swimsuits.

“Our goal is for each traveler to experience more with less,” she says. And then she begins to sound like a Sandals team member born with the hospitality gene. “More relaxation, less stress. More anticipation, less research. More authentic experiences, fewer distractions. More once in a lifetime memories with loved ones and less time away from loved ones.”

The only way to accomplish this is by knowing each traveler in a way that a travel website, no matter how sophisticated, cannot. Travel advisors measure their work through the shoes of client experiences. Are they happy? Were their dreams fulfilled? What else can we do to exceed their expectations?
“They’re in the business of joy,” says Stanley.

But let’s take a minute to clear up a common misconception that the network of travel advisors who talk so glowingly of Sandals and Beaches are, and always have been, tied to the brands. The reality is that they’ve traveled the world, shopped for their own best deals, discovered favorite vistas, and learned the nuances about destinations through roadside bites and Michelin-starred cuisine. Along the way, as enthusiastic travelers like us, they became believers in Sandals and Beaches only because they experienced the resorts.

This is why they know so much about travel. It’s also why they care so much about travelers.

“We invest our time and resources to become familiar with the personality of each resort,” says Christen Perry, owner of Classic Travel Connection. “Then we can do what we love to do: connect travelers to the perfect destination.”

The perfect destination had been under Stanley’s feet her entire life. She grew up in Jamaica, the same island where Sandals and its founder, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, were born. She visited all-inclusives around the islands, but had never experienced Sandals until she flew to St. Lucia for a stay at Sandals Regency La Toc.

“I remember thinking, ‘I’ve never felt so relaxed in my life. Now I get it.’”

The turning point for Perry came when her daughter, Kayla, chose to have her wedding at Beaches Turks and Caicos. After a difficult health journey, Kayla expressed her desire to be married on an island. Perry reached out to Beaches, and the wedding team took care of every detail to heart, creating a memorable and meaningful experience for the family.

“Kayla and her husband have been married nine years now,” Perry says. “We will never forget what the Beaches team did for my daughter and our family.”

The exceptional service they received left a lasting impact on Perry, inspiring her and countless other travel advisors. For them, it’s more than just a job—it’s a personal commitment to creating unforgettable experiences.