It’s clear that Sunwing and the all-inclusive Riu chain have a thing going on. Which was more than apparent at a festive lunch held at the Arlington Estate near Toronto on 04Dec. Hosting several prominent retailers were strong teams from Riu, many who had flown in from the Caribbean and Mexico, and Sunwing.
“We’ve been hosting this lunch for several years now,” Sunwing’s Director of Sales, Ontario/Atlantic Dave Wright told Open Jaw. “We love the Riu brand – and so do Canadians.” Exclusive to Sunwing for many years, the hotel brand is known for its “no surprises” reliability and continuous evolution.
Which these days includes more renovations and F&B outlets to suit North American tastes and more swim-out rooms. Also, more adults-only sections and expanded family sections with, for example, water parks. And that newest sport, exploding in popularity: pickleball. Now available at resorts in Negril, Playa del Carmen, Los Cabos and Punta Cana, clients can book their pickleball court times upon arrival at the resort.
Currently, Sunwing has some 40 Riu properties in its portfolio. “Our relationship with Sunwing works so well because we have been aligned for so many years – we have the product their passengers are looking for. To us they are like family,” said Alicia Santos, Riu’s Contracting Director USA & Canada for the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. Punta Cana, with 5 Rius, is always popular, she told Open Jaw, and “Aruba is always a top seller.”
We also spent some time with Lexi Lipitkas, a veteran with Sunwing’s groups department. Groups is big indeed with Sunwing and she estimates there are 95 people in the department.
“We’re now working on 2025 and 2026, and agents love that our group minimum is 10 – who don’t have to come from the same gateway but can come from all across Canada,” said Lipitkas. Trends include more than ever destination weddings (averaging 40 pax, though the South Asian wedding groups are typically 120 pax). Corporate groups, averaging 400, are also big business with Sunwing. And family groups, post lockdown, are proving a huge market. “After being apart for so long, families want to be together,” she said.
Commenting on the partnership, Wright added, “Riu is such a solid brand, their standards are so high. And there’s a huge repeat factor: the clients book their next Riu vacation as soon as they come home.”
