Above: the Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma

By Alexander Britell

Unique Vacations has named Ellen Bettridge its new president.

Bettridge, who had previously served as president of the Americas for luxury cruise line Silversea, will be based in Miami, beginning in the post on Jan. 6.

Unique Vacations is the exclusive representative for Sandals Resorts International in the Americas.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ellen Bettridge to the Sandals family,” said Gordon “Butch” Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts International, in a statement. “She is a person of incredible talent whose experience as a marketer, luxury brand expert and champion of travel agents, is perfectly aligned with our objectives of growth, innovation and excellence.”

Prior to her work with Silversea, Bettridge, a 20-year veteran of the industry, was vice president of the American Express US Retail Travel Network.

Sandals has been on a major expansion push of late, opening a new property in Barbados last month and set to open a new resort in Grenada later this month.