The Long-Awaited Grand Opening of Beaches Turks & Caicos’ Italian Village

Well, the event the entire team has been planning for, working towards and looking forward to for so long finally arrived—the Grand Opening of the brand new Italian Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos. And boy was it worth the wait! Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of so many people, this was one totally unforgettable celebration.

We kicked the festivities off on Thursday, May 14, with a really rocking “Welcome to Beaches” Barefoot Beach Party, where everyone could hang out, have a cocktail, listen to some music and dig their toes into the sand. From that point onwards it was a non-stop party, filled with superb activities, great performances and endless excitement. It was a blast to share this unbelievable occasion with so many partners and friends, as well as all of the incredible guests, Sandals and Beaches team members and celebrities, who all came down to the resort to mark this awesome day.

On Saturday, the Chairman, various dignitaries and I participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. We all snipped away and, just like that, the Italian Village was officially declared open. It was a proud moment for me, one that got even prouder, when the Chairman and I accepted an unprecedented two Six Star Diamond Awards from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS) for Beaches Turks and Caicos. Already the industry is recognizing just how spectacular the Italian Village and this spectacular resort truly are!

It was a very full and rewarding four days for everyone and especially for me. Along the way, I managed to get in some surfing, in our state-of-the-art surf simulator, and meet some amazing people, some of whom you might recognize. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I absolutely have one of the best jobs in the whole world!

Here I am with Jenna Elfman, one of the many celebrities who were with us at Beaches Turks and Caicos to celebrate this fantastic event.

The buzz was over-the-top. It seems I kind of got in the middle of something here, as Maria Menounos interviews Joey Fatone for Access Hollywood.

Check out the surfer-dudes! Here I am with Elijah Mack, the Marketing Team Rider from American Wave Machine (the folks who created our thrill-a-minute surf simulator), as well as Yoni Epstein, Director of Call Center Operations for Sandals and Beaches, as we strike a pose before riding the waves.

Wipeout! It took me a while to get the hang of this surfing thing, but it was really fun trying.

Smiles all around as two of our entertainment team members and I get into the swing of the party!

A good time was had by all, including every single person who made this event such a success. Here I am with all my boys, Mario Campbell, Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Chief Engineer; Ricky DuQuesnay, Sandals and Beaches Director of Food and Beverage; Jordan Samuda, Group Manager of Procurement; and Shawn DaCosta, Director of Operations.