On Location: AIC honours rock star travel advisors at Showstopper Awards in Punta Cana

You don’t come to Hard Rock to be bored — and the 2026 Showstopper Awards were no exception.

From Sept. 14 to 17, PAX was at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana for AIC Hotel Group’s annual event, bringing together travel advisors and partners from the United States and Canada.

About 144 people gathered for the occasion, including advisors, partners, media representatives and staff.

The festivities kicked off with a lip-sync competition featuring members of the AIC team themselves, immediately setting the tone for a colourful edition fuelled by music and high energy.

For Ash Tembe, vice-president of global sales at AIC Hotel Group, the team’s willingness to take the stage was, above all, a reflection of the group’s appreciation for its partners.

“The main reason we organize this event is the tremendous respect we have for our advisors. We put this show together for them. The entire AIC team came together with the same goal: to get on stage and give them something different,” he explained.

Showstopper Awards take centre stage

The highlight of the stay was, of course, the Showstopper Awards ceremony.

Canadian winners included representatives from Destawed (Black Diamond), Hype Travel/iRock Weddings (Diamond) and Liz Moore Destination Weddings (Diamond), as well as advisors Nitin Gaba (Platinum), Filomena Punzo (Triple Platinum) and Saneeta Boparan (Platinum).

On the tour operator side, Air Canada Vacations received the Field Sales Champion – Canada and Revenue Rockstar – Canada awards, while Transat took home the Growth Showstopper award.

The evening continued with a party featuring Sky Blu, formerly of the duo LMFAO.

The choice was in keeping with the reputation of the Showstopper Awards, whose closing parties regularly feature major musical performances. At the previous edition, held at AVA Resort Cancún, AIC welcomed rapper and singer-songwriter B.o.B.

Exploring Hard Rock Punta Cana

The stay also gave advisors the opportunity to experience the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana firsthand, which became the world’s first all-inclusive Hard Rock hotel when it opened in 2010.

According to Tembe, music is what sets the brand apart from other all-inclusive resorts.

“It brings a special energy and can adapt to each destination. In Jamaica, just as in the Dominican Republic, we can incorporate the local music culture. It’s not just about hard rock: we celebrate music in all its forms,” he said.

That identity extends throughout the resort’s public spaces.

“Every hotel has a Vibe Manager, who is responsible, among other things, for making sure the music being played constantly creates the right atmosphere,” he said.

Spread across 121 beachfront acres, the sprawling resort has 1,882 suites and more than 65,000 square feet of meeting space.

“The rooms are very spacious and all include a minibar and whirlpool tub,” Tembe said.

The property caters to a wide range of guests, from families and couples to groups of friends and travellers seeking a lively atmosphere.

Its amenities include 13 pools, Rockaway Bay water park with 26 slides, the Roxity Kids Club, Rock Spa, Hard Rock Golf Club at Cana Bay and ORO Nightclub. There are also shows, mini-golf, an arcade, bowling and a FlowRider.

The resort also offers 11 specialty restaurants and 23 bars and lounges. Among the restaurants sampled, Toro steakhouse and Mexican restaurant Los Gallos particularly stood out.

Finally, its 48,000-square-foot casino, billed as the largest in the Dominican Republic, features more than 435 slot machines and approximately 30 gaming tables.

AIC continues its expansion

The Showstopper Awards also provided an opportunity to look ahead at what’s new from AIC Hotel Group. Among the openings to watch is UNICO 18°77° Montego Bay in Jamaica, which is set to welcome its first guests on March 1, 2027.

The adults-only, all-inclusive resort will mark an important milestone for the brand as the first UNICO property to open outside Mexico.

The resort will feature 451 rooms and suites, nine restaurants and bars, four pools and an expansive Esencia Wellness Spa.

“Thanks to travel advisors, we have already recorded more than two million dollars in bookings for a hotel that isn’t even open yet. We’ve never seen anything like it,” Tembe said, encouraging professionals who have not yet added the property to their offerings to do so quickly.

The brand plans to showcase Jamaican culture and music throughout the property.

“We believe we will have the most beautiful hotel in Jamaica,” he said.

UNICO Montego Bay will also host the next edition of the Showstopper Awards, from May 17 to 20, 2027.

For Tembe, it will be a prime opportunity to introduce the group’s top sellers to the new product.

“These are our top advisors. Having them among the first to stay at our new hotel represents an extraordinary opportunity. When they can experience it and discover the product for themselves, the sales naturally follow,” he said.

AIC is also continuing to invest in its Hard Rock portfolio.

Hard Rock Hotel Cancún and Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta are currently closed to allow major renovations to be carried out without disrupting guests. The transformations include guest rooms, public spaces and various facilities. Both properties are scheduled to reopen in December 2026.

“Everything will be new, right down to the coffee shops,” Tembe said.

The projects come amid a period of expansion and repositioning for AIC Hotel Group, which continues to evolve its various brands in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Building closer ties with Canadian advisors

Canada is AIC Hotel Group’s second-largest market, according to Tembe.

A notable share of its Canadian business comes from the Indian wedding market.

“Demand is so strong that we have hired a full-time videographer and are already considering adding a second,” he said.

Tembe acknowledged, however, that identifying travel advisors has become increasingly challenging, as many now work from home.

He encouraged advisors to contact their business development manager directly.

“All an advisor has to do is tell us, ‘I’d like to work with you.’ Then we know they’re interested and we can start supporting and training them,” he said.

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