Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, picked up the American Friends of Jamaica's 2026 International Achievement Award at the organisation's Hummingbird Gala on October 16 at The Plaza Hotel in New York. The honour recognises his role in Caribbean tourism and his investment in Jamaica's economy and communities — and it arrives at a meaningful moment for both the company and the island.
The gala wasn't a quiet affair. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness spoke, Emmy-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph collected the International Humanitarian Award, and reggae legend Sister Nancy performed. Proceeds from the evening fund the American Friends of Jamaica's work in education, healthcare and economic development on the island.
Stewart used his acceptance speech to trace the company's roots back to 1981, when his father, Gordon "Butch" Stewart, opened a 99-room hotel next to the airport in Montego Bay. From that single property grew a resort group now employing more than 20,000 people, 97 percent of them born in the Caribbean, spanning the adults-only Sandals brand and the family-oriented Beaches portfolio. Earlier this year, Beaches Turks and Caicos unveiled a new $150 million village, one of the biggest recent investments in the region's family travel market.
What arguably earned Stewart the award as much as the business growth was the company's response to Hurricane Melissa. Sandals kept all of its Jamaican staff on full payroll with benefits during closures, committed more than $5 million in direct recovery assistance for affected employees, and mobilised the Sandals Foundation to deliver relief in storm-hit communities. Stewart also founded Sandals Corporate University in 2012, giving staff access to professional certifications and degree programs, and leads the foundation's education and conservation programs across the Caribbean.
For travellers, the takeaway is that Sandals' next chapter is firmly anchored in Jamaica, with three major resort reopenings on the horizon. If you've been eyeing a Caribbean all-inclusive trip, the island where the brand started is about to get a lot of its inventory back online — and the company's staffing and recovery pledges suggest service continuity rather than a scramble to restock.
