Basseterre, St. Kitts – On Saturday, November 16, St. Kitts celebrated excellence in its tourism industry partners with the 13th Annual St. Kitts Tourism Experience Awards event that recognized individuals and businesses who positively impacted the development of the industry over the past year.
The St. Kitts Experience Awards were once again held at Carambola Beach Club and attracted a large number of attendees, among whom was Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Senator the Honourable Ricky Skerritt. The Awards, which were themed “The Power of Vision,” were presented following a cocktail reception. Minister Skerritt provided welcome remarks and the Awards ceremony’s guest speaker, Head of Commercial – Gatwick at British Airways, Mr. Colm Lacy delivered the keynote address, which discussed the air carrier’s operations, the UK APD tax and other timely topics related to tourism and aviation in the Caribbean.
“British Airways is confident of gradual growth in tourism to the Caribbean from the UK,” said Mr. Lacy. “We are finding new and innovative ways to market to the UK consumer across all distribution points. However, it is crucial that we all continue to work together to be a success. We should focus on the quality and value of the products and experiences we provide, use innovative collaborative marketing and pay attention to pricing.” He continued on to say that, “Minister Skerritt and the St. Kitts and Nevis team are to be praised for their collaborative approach to make growth possible and sustainable.”
A highlight of the evening for many Tourism Authority personnel, the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Mrs. She Dore-Tyson, presented individuals who were celebrating ten years of service to the organization with engraved glass awards in honor of their milestone anniversaries. Immediately thereafter, the highly anticipated St. Kitts Tourism Experience Awards were presented by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority’s North American officers Mrs. Patrice Henry (New York) and Mr. Brad Richards (Canada). The first award of the night was the People’s Choice Award, which was won by Mr. Michael Glasford as a professional individual with knowledge of the tourism industry who strives to exceed customer expectations.
Two Awards of Excellence were presented for an individual or business demonstrating best practices in tourism service, which went to Kendra Jacobs of American Airlines (individual) and to the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (business). The Environmental Award for businesses practicing sustainability through responsible practices and raising community awareness was given to the Parks and Beaches Unit.
All winners of the St. Kitts Experience Awards were nominated for the recognition and competition was strong from among their peers. The Awards ceremony is a unique cultural evening experience combining entertainment, networking and culinary enjoyment. Taking place on an annual basis, the Awards are part of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority’s efforts to elevate service standards within the destination’s hospitality industry and to encourage the development of more authentic, world-class visitor experiences to enhance St. Kitts’ competitive position in the regional and global tourism marketplace.
