American Express, in association with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), celebrated three outstanding members of the Caribbean press with the 5th Annual American Express Tourism Media Awards, at a…
American Express, in association with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), celebrated three outstanding members of the Caribbean press with the 5th Annual American Express Tourism Media Awards, at a special awards lunch during the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) held in Miami. The award aims to raise regional awareness about the impact of tourism, by fostering excellence in tourism reporting in the Caribbean.
Janet Silvera, of The Gleaner Group, Jamaica; Hans Vader, Antilliaans Dagblad, in Curacao; and Orin Gordon, with the BBC Caribbean Service, were recognized for quality in professional reporting on tourism and tourism development issues in the Caribbean.
The Overall Award for Excellence in Tourism Reporting went to Jamaica’s Janet Silvera, a veteran tourism writer with a laudable body of work. Most recently, Silvera has been the force behind the tourism-specific supplement Hospitality Jamaica, of The Gleaner Group, whose bi-monthly publication she coordinates. The publication offers a broad mix of national, regional, and international tourism news that span the gamut of related issues, from marketing and policy-making, to the human face of tourism.
“Janet is doing an extraordinary job of bringing the world of tourism to the people of Jamaica,” said Dianelys Rodriguez, VP of Establishment Services – Latin America & Caribbean. “Any single issue gives the reader a bird’s eye view of current events in travel and tourism – challenges and accomplishments, best practices and issues to ponder – which helps to stimulate a better understanding of the industry among her fellow Jamaicans.”
Hans Vader, from Curacao, won the finalist award in the print category. In a series of 30 articles entitled ‘Otrobanda’ published in the Antilliaans Dagblad newspaper over a period of six months, trace the impact of socially-responsible development in the reemergence of the small community of Otrobanda, a formerly troubled and impoverished city district situated on the harbor that has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The series, in which the human face of the issues is brought to the fore, earned Vader the Tourism Journalism Award 2006 from the Curacao Hospitality and Tourism Association only three months ago.
“The ‘Otrobanda’ series offers a very real look at sustainable tourism in practice – and in terms we can all relate to,” added Rodriguez.
Meanwhile, the finalist award in the broadcast category went to Orin Gordon, a London-based correspondent for the BBC Caribbean Service. Orin’s submissions, a three-program radio series entitled “Cricket World Cup 2007: The Caribbean’s Big Economic and Tourism Opportunity,” address the issues and challenges that Caribbean governments and the tourism industry face as the Cup nears – the preparations, infrastructure, lodging, investment, etc. – vis-a-vis the potential benefits for the local economies. The programs, written, researched, produced, and presented by Gordon, cast a wide net to give voice to the varying opinions of stakeholders and observers both in the Caribbean and abroad.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
