Bob Soto for Regional Tourism Award in May
Pioneer dive
operator,
Robert 'Bob' Soto
The Cayman Islands pioneer dive operator, Mr. Bob Soto, will be among persons honoured when the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) celebrates its 50 anniversary on 31 May.
The CTO will honour a total of 50 individuals for their contributions to Caribbean tourism at a special commemorative ceremony that will take place at the 29th Annual Governments of the Caribbean State Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York.
The Ball will cap a series of events during Caribbean Week, 28 to 31 May in New York City, including the CTO Board of Directors meeting, CTO Council of Ministers meeting and a Media Marketplace.
Of the 50 honourees, 33 were selected by CTO member countries for their superior achievements in their own nations.
These individuals are from the public, private or Non Government Organisation (NGO) sectors and have worked in several areas of tourism activity on behalf of their countries. A panel of distinguished persons from CTO's membership and respected regional and international institutions selected an additional 17 individuals who have made special contributions to the cause of regional tourism.
During the ceremony, CTO will also present Lifetime Achievement Awards to Michael Youngman, director of marketing, Caribbean Tourism Organization; John Bell, CEO and director general, Caribbean Hotel Association; James Pepperdine, executive vice president of Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown; and Erick 'Willy' Rotin, past chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Association (predecessor of CTO) and co-founder of the Hotel Association of Guadeloupe (posthumous).
The honourees are:
50th Anniversary Regional Awards; John Bell, Caribbean Hotel Association; Doria Camaraza, American Express Company; Frank Delisle, Carib Aviation, Antigua; Carlos Diago, Sacred Heart University, Puerto Rico; Dr. Jean Holder, Caribbean Tourism Organization
Honourable John Issa, Super Clubs; Jacqueline Johnson, Bride's Magazine; Fred Kassner, GoGo Worldwide Vacations (posthumous); Her Excellency Yvonne Maginley, Deputy Governor General, Antigua and Barbuda; Charles Maynard, Tourism Consultant, Dominica; George Myers, Radisson Cable Beach, Bahamas; Heinz Simonitsch, Half Moon Golf & Beach Resort; Arley Sobers, Caribbean Tourism Organization; Honourable Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, Air Jamaica, Sandals, Beaches; Ralph Taylor, Almond Beach Resorts, Barbados; Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Michael Youngman, Caribbean Tourism Organization
50th Anniversary National Awards
Vida Lloyd, Anguilla; Honourable Lester Byrant Bird, Antigua &
Barbuda Adwina Arends, Aruba; Baltron Bethel, The Bahamas; Paul
Foster, Barbados; Celi Nunez McCorkle, Belize; Hubert B. Smith
Sr., Bermuda; Don Stewart, Bonaire; George Elwin Ulric Dawson,
British Virgin Islands; Robert 'Bob' Soto, the Cayman Islands;
Orlando Rangel Delgado, Cuba; Finn Nicolaj 'Nic' Moller, Curacao;
Derek Perryman, Dominica; Angel Miolan, Dominican Republic; Royston
O. Hopkin, CMG, Grenada; Georges Marie-Gabrielle, Guadeloupe;
Gerard Fombrun, Haiti; Honourable Frank Pringle, C.D., Jamaica;
Guy de la Houssaye, Martinique; Antonio Enriquez Savignac, Mexico;
Carol Ann Osborne, Montserrat; Gilberto 'Kiko' Pesquera, Puerto
Rico; Mr. & Mrs. Lasil Rouse, St. Eustatius; Hilary Wattley,
St, Kitts & Nevis; Edward 'Chef Harry' Joseph, St. Lucia;
Herve Sponspa, St. Maarten; Emmannuelle Monique, St. Martin; Percy
Walker, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Frank Robles, Suriname;
William 'Bill' Aguiton, H.B.M., Trinidad & Tobago; Honourable
Oswald Oneal Skippings, Turks & Caicos Islands; Mabel J. Maduro,
U.S. Virgin Islands; and Peter Klaus Muller, Venezuela.