During a recent fam trip to Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts in Jamaica, a group of travel agents from British Columbia and Alberta, as well as two Groups agents from WestJet, took time to help release close to 300 turtle hatchlings at Gibraltar Beach, in the parish of St. Mary.

For a few months each year, endangered Hawksbill sea turtles inhabit beaches in Jamaica to lay their eggs. Approximately two months later, hatchlings emerge from their nest and start their journey to the wide open Caribbean Sea.

Working in partnership with local turtle conversation authorities to monitor the turtles to make sure they reach the water safely, The Sandals Foundation and Island Routes offer a popular “Turtle Watching Tour” where guests can participate in the turtle release. All proceeds from the tour help to benefit turtle conservation efforts.

Participating agents included Mike Medicoff, Newwest Travel, Edmonton; Debra Annett, Marlin Travel, Maple Ridge, BC (pictured on the left); Babette Baskerville, TPI, Rimbey, AB (pictured on the right); Evangeline Okropiridze, CruiseShip Centers, Surrey, BC; Zahia Kirby, Prestige Travel, Surrey, BC; Angela Szabo, CruiseShip Centers, Burnaby, BC; Sonja Heriban, Vesna Travel, Edmonton; Kae Kanno, WestJet Groups, Calgary; and Kyla Smit, WestJet Groups, Calgary.