Prior to the announcement on 24 June, and the subsequent addition of Antigua & Barbuda and Barbados to the green list on 30 June, Thompson said the firm was getting "next to no business for 2021 departures".
"The week before the announcement, 84% of all bookings made through our tour operator, Unique Caribbean Holidays (UCHL), were for trips departing in 2022 and 2023," said Thompson, UCHL managing director.
However, Thompson said in the week of 29 June to 6 July, more than half of UCHL’s total business was for "last-minute" July and August holidays to green list destinations.
"People are desperate to get away as quickly as possible," said Thompson; top sellers included Sandals Grande Antigua and Sandals Royal Barbados, he added.
“The overall volume of bookings made between 29 June and 6 July 2021 is double what we were seeing four weeks ago, 8 June to 15 June, which shows the business is there when travel advice becomes more favourable," Thompson continued.
Sandals did not disclose the underlying figures behind the spike and the swing back towards 2021 business.
Thompson added he was hopeful transport secretary Grant Shapps’ highly-anticipated announcement on easing quarantine for fully vaccinated amber list arrivals, expected on Thursday (8 July), would have a further "positive effect" on bookings to other Caribbean destinations, such as Saint Lucia and Jamaica.
The spike coincided with what would have been Sandals’ founder Gordon "Butch" Stewart’s 80th birthday; Butch passed away in January, and was warmly and lovingly remembered by his son – and successor – Adam Stewart in an exclusive interview with TTG this month.
You can read the July edition of TTG in full here.
