The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) kicked off the activities surrounding World Travel Market by honoring the region’s outstanding travel industry partners in Europe. The Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence, which…
The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) kicked off the activities surrounding World Travel Market by honoring the region’s outstanding travel industry partners in Europe. The Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence, which recognizes those industry partners who have stood out in their efforts towards the development of tourism to the Caribbean from the United Kingdom and Europe, was held in an exclusive black-tie gala dinner on Saturday, November 4, 2006, at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel, in London.
The evening’s honorees were:
- Outstanding UK and European Tour Operator – Kuoni;
- Outstanding Individual – Right Honorable the Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, PC, President of the Caribbean-Britain Business Council;
- Outstanding Caribbean Small Hotel – Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada;
- Outstanding Caribbean Large Hotel – Round Hill Hotel and Villas Resort, Jamaica;
- Outstanding Caribbean Tourist Board – Trinidad and Tobago.
The winners were chosen based on the votes cast by Caribbean hoteliers and tourist boards, as well as tour operators and trade press from the United Kingdom and Europe. “This group of people and organizations make a powerful case for the value of partnerships, different sectors of one industry working together – in this case, tourism, the lifeblood of the Caribbean people,” said CHA President Peter J. Odle.
For the occasion, guests were treated to a true taste of Caribbean hospitality, with a special four-course dinner prepared by Chef Hans Van Triest, from Curacao, winner of the 2006 Caribbean Chef of the Year Award, and Michael Riordan, Executive Chef, Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel. Peter J. Odle, and Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHA, welcomed delegates from major supplier companies in the United Kingdom and Europe, along with a distinguished group of hotel and allied members.
The Crystal Palm Awards Gala was sponsored by Air Jamaica, British Airways Holidays, the Curacao Tourist Board, Fosters Wines, Travel Trade Gazette (TTG), and Virgin Holidays.
The Crystal Palm Awards of Excellence is CHA’s premier event in the European Marketplace. It was established in 1997 to honor the Caribbean’s leading travel partners in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
