SRI, SVG, Caribbean Tourism and the Positive Power of Legacy and Succession
The October 6, 2025 signing ceremony between Sandals Resorts International (SRI) and the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for a new ‘Beaches’ family resort on the multi-island state’s mainland, is another giant leap forward in its new journey as an ever-growing Caribbean destination.
The agreement is for SRI’s second major SVG investment: a new US $500 million resort on 51 acres of land at Mt. Wynne.
SRI’s first ‘Sandals 2.0’ branded resort was unveiled in SVG in 2023, leading to an annual US $40 million (EC $108 million) input into the national treasury, while stimulating local business, agriculture, transportation and cultural industries and contributing significantly to GDP growth, foreign exchange earnings and national development.
Sandals’ presence has increased SVG’s international visitor arrivals by an amazing 412% — from 612 to 3,162 in less than two years, driven by new access routes by international airlines.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves left no doubt about SRI’s positive impact on SVG’s “overall thrust in holistic development” intended to propel his nation into “First-World status”.
But apart from the speeches and a rainbow of promising accomplishments and renewed commitments, the ceremony also had its particularly-telling moments.
One was when Orando Brewster, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Leeward (where the resort will be built) — turned to SRI’s Executive Chairman Adam Stewart and said:
“I wish your late father was still here today, to see this ‘Beaches’ resort taking its true shape and form. But if he is looking-down right now, I’m sure he will tell us: ‘This is my son Adam, in whom I am well pleased.’”
The parliamentary representative was referring to SRI’s Founding Chairman, the late and legendary Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart — and his chosen son for successor, Adam, the family chain’s current Executive Chairman.
The SVG signing ceremony is another interesting chapter in the enduring Sandals legacy, a Caribbean Father-and-Son succession story like no other.
The MP’s remarks reminded us that while history is pregnant with examples of visionary leaders building and bequeathing empires their successors would fail to preserve or replicate, SRI isn’t one.
Quite the opposite, the still-young Adam easily slipped into his dad’s oversized sandals and continues enlarging the brand’s footprint on Caribbean shores.
The Butch Stewart this writer got to know well-enough for the latter two of the four decades SRI has been doing business in Saint Lucia would certainly be ‘well-pleased’ with how his chosen son simply but extraordinarily keeps growing the family’s Sandals product to ever-higher heights.
‘Uncle Butch’ (as close friends called him) never passed an opportunity to reiterate his deepest confidence in the Caribbean region he was born and grew-up in — and those he called its ‘amazing people’. His sole desire was to create a vehicle through which his Caribbean homeland would show the world it can compete — and be the very best.
One of the Founding Chairman’s favourite anecdotes was: “When God was creating this world, he spent a little extra time on the Caribbean.”
The original ‘Mr Stewart’ launched SRI 44 years ago and thanks to his wise succession choice, SRI’s legacy reigns supreme as one of the most-recognized luxury hotel brands worldwide.
The Caribbean’s only Fortune 500 company, SRI is also a serial winner of annual national, regional and international awards for ‘Best All-Inclusive Hotel’ and ‘Best Tourism Company’.
But even though he’s figuratively walked more-than-a-million miles in his father’s sandals since 2021, Adam always starts telling SRI’s success story by saying with sincere humility: “I didn’t and couldn’t have done it all-alone.”
Like his dad, Adam also places premium import on the people who drive SRI. He’ll tell you: “What really makes SRI unique is our people…” — referring to the 97% of the chain’s over-20,000 Caribbean citizens driving the ever-growing company at all levels — including as General Managers, Managing Directors and Corporate Directors.
Measuring Adam by his own long yardstick, SRI’s Founding Father wisely decided his primary heir and successor would be the one who grew with the company in his own image and likeness — and stood by his side as loyal kith-and-kin, until death did them part.
Born in 1981 (the same year as SRI), Adam often refers to the family’s gold-standard luxury chain as his “other sibling”.
Indeed, he was only 25 when appointed SRI’s Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman, allowing his father’s son an ‘on-the-job’ and front-seat view of how the company his dad built became a pioneering force in Caribbean tourism.
Adam also clearly inherited his dad’s genetic belief in what SRI’s tremendous success represents for the family and the brand, for Jamaica and the Caribbean.
Adam learned much at SRI’s three Saint Lucia resorts (Sandals Grande, Sandals La Toc and Sandals Halcyon) working alongside fellow teamsters, who he broke bread with, and sharing in their hopes and dreams.
In four short years at SRI’s helm, Adam has taken the Caribbean’s Number-One brand further than his dad might have imagined.
The chain recently deepened its Caribbean legacy with a new global brand signature: ‘Made of Caribbean’.
Since 2021, the SRI has launched three new legacy resorts — in record time — in Curacao, at Dunn’s River (Jamaica) and the latest in SVG.
And now comes SVG’s Beaches…
The current Executive Chairman has also dutifully maintained his dad’s enduring legacy as a confident Caribbean investor, ever-reimaging the brand as the Caribbean’s luxury tourism flagship.
SRI’s entry into SVG under Adam’s early watch ensures his late father’s legacy remains alive in a successful succession story that proves success can always be maintained and sustained – and especially where confidence and innovation are the driving forces and factors.
But perhaps the most telling ‘tale-of-the-tape’ display of the positive powers of legacy and succession was at the ribbon-cutting exercise when Adam Stewart signed the agreement with his father’s signature pen.
Nothing else said it better.
