Atwell joined Sandals in 2001 as a sales manager, and is now responsible for growing the firm’s business through the trade in Scotland, Cumbria, Tyne & Wear, Northumberland, Cleveland, Durham and Northern Ireland.

By ticking over into his 21st year, Atwell brings the total years served by Sandals’ UK sales team to almost 133 in total.

"It’s been a true pleasure working for the company and I hope I can continue on for another 20 years," said Atwell, who added he had lived late Sandals’ chair and founder Gordon "Butch" Stewart’s mantra that he’d never really felt like he’d "worked" a day in his life.

Atwell is the latest member of the Sandals team to notch up long-service milestones; last year, business development manager Lorraine Adams hit 20 years and director of sales Leah Marshall 25 years.

Agency sales manager Vanessa Barrow will celebrate 25 years next year, while business development managers Neil Read and Faye Read will each notch up 15 years; 60% of Sandals’ business development and agency sales teams have been at the company for more than ten years.

Speaking to TTG in June, Sandals executive chair Adam Stewart said there were people in the Sandals business who worked for his father’s enterprises before Sandals was conceived.

"The average tenure on the executive team is 23 years," said Stewart. "Sandals is a place people tend to join and never really leave."

Marshall added: “I am so proud of Gary and the rest of the UK team for what they have achieved over the years.

"To have so many employees who have celebrated long-service milestones speaks volumes about the company and the incredible product that we’re so lucky to work with every day.”