Archive for Caribbean Week

Brenda Blackmon to Receive CTO’s ‘Distinguished Friend of the Caribbean’ Award

NEW YORK, NY (15 May 2019) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will present its “Distinguished Friend of the Caribbean” award to Brenda Blackmon, current anchor at WPIX11 in New York, for her passion for the Caribbean as well as her untiring dedication in supporting CTO with numerous key events.

Always ready to assist, Blackmon has played an integral role in the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Barbados, the Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, important keynote speaker at countless functions on the Caribbean and host of the elegant CTO Governments of the Caribbean State Ball on multiple occasions.

Blackmon will be honoured during the Caribbean Tourism Industry Awards gala which recognises excellence in promoting the Caribbean and honours individuals whose outstanding, passionate and dedicated work has contributed to the development and success of the region. The esteemed awards dinner takes place on Thursday, 6 June from 7 – 10 p.m. at the Wyndham New Yorker (481 Eighth Avenue) during Caribbean Week New York (#CWNY2019), when the Big Apple is captivated with Caribbean flair, pulsating energy and colourful sounds.

“I just want to be a friend you can continue to count on. One Caribbean – the places of my fondest memories,” said Blackmon. “I am so grateful for being presented with the ‘Distinguished Friend of the Caribbean’ award by the CTO.”

Blackmon, a five-time Emmy award-winning journalist, has been nominated for 16 additional Emmys and more than a dozen Associated Press awards. She was a longtime anchor for New York City’s WWOR-9 and is the recipient of two Edward R. Murrow awards for broadcast excellence. Founder of the Kelly Fund for Lupus, Inc, she authored two books that help raise funds and educate about lupus and serves on the national board of directors of Lupus Research Alliance. A staunch supporter of education, she is an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and serves on the board of directors.

“I am pleased that the Caribbean Tourism Organization has chosen to recognise Brenda for her devotion and affection toward the region,” said Sylma Brown, Director, CTO-USA. “Whenever CTO needs a helping hand, Brenda readily and quickly commits her time and talent. She truly embodies the spirit of the Caribbean.”

In addition to the “Distinguished Friend of the Caribbean” award, CTO will present the Caribbean Travel Media Awards, the CTO Allied awards comprising of the “Jerry,” the Allied and a Special Recognition Award, the Distinguished Caribbean Citizen award, among others, as well as the Jamaica-sponsored Marcia Vickery-Wallace and Marcella Martinez memorial awards.

Tickets for the dinner can be purchased online only via https://www.caribbeanweek.com/events/caribbean-tourism-industry-awards-dinner/.

About Caribbean Week New York:

Caribbean Week New York is the largest regional tourism activity in the New York area. Artistes, performers, celebrity chefs, the Diaspora, investors and other strategic partners join government officials and the media for a week of festivities designed to raise awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse tourism industry and provide opportunities for member destinations to promote their individual products and services, participate in meetings, seminars and other business development activities to further enhance the Caribbean brand, and provide updates and critical support to travel agents and the media who influence key travel demographics.

Caribbean Week is supported by: Academy Engraving, American Express, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bedessee Sports, The British Virgin Islands, Bloomingdale’s, Blue Waters, Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, Cayman Islands, Cititech Solutions, Coyaba Beach Resort, Cool Tech Air Conditioning and Refrigeration LLC, Delta Airlines, Dominica, Doctor’s Cave, Four Season Resort Nevis, Grenada, Jamaica, James Beard Foundation, JetBlue, Lightspeed Reservation system, Martinique, Ocean Terrace Inn, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Sandals, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Saint Lucia, The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, Travel+Leisure, Williams-Sonoma.

To participate in, or sponsor any Caribbean Week New York event, visit www.caribbeanweek.com; email Caribbeanweek@caribbeanweek.com or call (212) 636-9350.

CTO members receive special concessions when they participate in Caribbean Week New York. To find out more about membership visit http://bit.ly/alliedmembers or email membership@caribtourism.com.

Posted in: 2019 News, Blog, Caribbean Week, Destination News

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CTO Expands Black Tie Awards Gala to Honour Influencers

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (xx May, 2018) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced the finalists for the Caribbean Travel Media Awards, which will be held at the Wyndham New Yorker on 7 June during Caribbean Week NewYork (#CWNY2019). It is the second incarnation of the expanded media awards programme which the CTO has staged for the past two decades to honour travel journalists and other professionals whose exceptional work has raised the profile of the Caribbean brand and helped the region achieve its tourism goals.

New in 2019, the CTO has added the ‘I Have Influence’ award to the contest in recognition of the growing number of influencers who contribute to telling the Caribbean’s story.

A distinguished panel of media and industry judges led by veteran travel journalist Mark Orwoll (pictured right) were enthusiastic about the quality of work represented, indicating that the prestigeous competition attracts a higher calibre of submissions each year.

“The Caribbean has long inspired artists, designers, and vacationers of all sorts with its vibrant culture and laid-back atmosphere. The media entries our committee reviewed make it abundantly clear that the region is also a powerful muse for the journalists, photographers and influencers who motivate travel decisions and contribute to the Caribbean’s status as the world’s leading warm weather destination,” said Orwoll.

A contest in which readers can select the winner for the Oh My Word, I Blogged! Best Caribbean Travel Blog Posting will continue to allow voting through 18 May, 2019.

For the remaining categories, the following finalists have been selected:

I Couldn’t Have Written It Better Myself: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Consumer Newspaper

  •   Kristin Emery: “Paradise Found: Unspoiled and Undeveloped in St. Kitts.” – Observer-Reporter (Southwestern PA)
  •   Lawrence Millman: “Mayaguana, a World Away and Worth the Trip.” – Boston Globe
  •   Christopher Muther: “How Martinique’s Rum Became Certifiably the Best in the Caribbean” – Boston Globe

Been There, Wrote That: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Consumer Magazine

  •   Emma Glassman Hughes: “Artists in Barbados Reveal the Beauty of Negative Space” – Here Magazine
  •   Larry Olmstead: “Catch It If You Can” – Celebrated Living
  •   Tony Perrotett: “The Martinique Mystique: Why Americans Are Suddenly Flocking to This Gorgeous Caribbean Island?” – Travel + Leisure

Inner Circle King/Queen: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Trade Publication

  •   Gay Nagle Myers: “Romantic Escape at Sandals Royal Barbados” – Travel Weekly
  •   David Swanson: “Visiting a Sandals Resort as an LGBT Couple” – TravelAge West
  •   Ed Wetschler: “Jamaica: News for Travel Agents” – Recommend

Oh Snap! Best Photograph in Conjunction with a Feature Article

  •   Raymesh Cintron: photo accompanying “We Want to Show the Islands as They Have Never Been Sceen Before” – Cacique
  •   Brian Finke: photo accompanying Marta Cerdà’s “Razing Cane: To Taste Haiti’s Small Batch Rum is to Cut to the Heart of What Makes the Island Worth Exploring” – AFAR
  •   Jeff Mayers: photo accompanying Marshelle Haseley’s “Trinidad Carnival…More Than Meets The Eye” – Panache

Golden Mic: Best Feature Broadcast

  •   Jason Kidd: “Live from Sandals Grenada with Ria Murray” – WRQX Mix 107.3
  •   Donna Perkins: Episide on Negril, Jamaica – Andiamo Uptown
  •   Ryan Seacrest: Segment on The Bahamas – Live with Kelly and Ryan

Virtual Visitor Award: Best Feature in an Online Publication (not including blogs)

  •   Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon: “This All-Inclusive Resort in Jamaica Offers Unlimited Spa Treatments” – Islands.com
  •   David Molyneaux: “Barbados Offers Beaches, Cricket Matches, Local Rums and a Glimpse of Jewish History” – MiamiHerald.com
  •   Tik Root: “How One Country Is Restoring Its Damaged Ocean” – NationalGeographic.com

I Have Influence: Best Executed Influencer Campaign That Delivered Results Based On Agreed Objectives

  •   Silvia Lawrence: Guyana
  •   Francesca Murray: Jamaica Food and Drink
  •   Enocha Tellus: Pure Grenada

Up the Social Ladder: Best Social Media Marketing Campaign by a CTO Member Country

  •   Bahamas: #NoFilter infuencer campaign by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
  •   Jamaica: #JoinMeInJamaica digital marketing campaign by Jamaica Tourist Board
  •   Martinique: #MakeItMartinique campaign in conjunction with Uncommon Caribbean

Look, I’ve Gone Social: Most Outstanding Social Media Coverage of an Event or Activity (by a journalist or influencer)

  •   Chelsea Davis: Barbados Crop Over Festival
  •   Lebawit Girma: Barbados Food & Rum Festival
  •   Francesca Murray: Grenada Chocolate Festival

Me Too! I Rediscovered Home! Best Feature by a Diasporan Journalist in U.S. or Caribbean Media

  •   Kevin Williams: “Rum Making with Appleton Estate’s Master Blender” – Caribbean Life

No Anansi Story! Best Feature by a Caribbean-based Journalist (that appeared in Caribbean-based media)

  •   Catherine Morris: “Soufriere Models Community Tourism” – St. Lucia Star
  •   Ricqcolia Phillip: “UberSoca Cruise: The CARICOM of the Soca Experience” – Loop
  •   Leisha Wong: “Island Inspired” – Cayman Airways Skies

CTO assembled a panel of expert media and travel industry judges to review submissions and determine the award-winners, led by head judge Mark Orwoll:

  • Mark Orwoll is a veteran travel journalist who was on the staff of Travel + Leisure for 29 years, including stints as managing editor and international editor. As a staff writer, he wrote scores of articles for the print edition, as well as a daily online travel advice column for travelandleisure.com. As an editor, he has worked with such travel writing luminaries as Bill Bryson, Paul Theroux, and Jan Morris. Mark is also well known for his hundreds of broadcast appearances as a travel expert on NBC’s Today, CBS’s Early Show, ABC’s Good Morning, America, and numerous other local, national, and international TV programs. Mark has taught feature writing at Media Bistro, and for many years was an adjunct professor in the NYU master’s in publishing programme. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the New York Travel Writers Association. As an independent journalist, he has written for Condé Nast Traveler, United Airlines’ Hemispheres, Frommer’s Travel, The Travel Channel, Robb Report, Town & Country, and numerous other print and online publications. In his free time, Mark plays lead guitar in a rock band and tends the fish in his backyard koi pond.
  • Tiffany Dowd, Founder and president, Luxe Social Media, advises luxury travel brands on social media marketing and online strategy and was recognised among the “25 Best Luxury Digital Experts To Follow.”
  • Tony Fraser is a veteran journalist with over 40 years of experience, a graduate in journalism, history, sociology, politics and economics, and international affairs, and part-time lecturer in journalism at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus.
  • Pauline Frommer is the Co-president of Frommer Media LLC with her father Arthur Frommer. She is the publisher of both the Frommer Guidebooks and Frommers.com, and the co-host of the Frommer Travel Show on both WABC and Radio America.
  • Terry Gallagher is president of  Lou Hammond Group, New York, a destination marketing leader with over 30 years’ experience planning and implementing strategic campaigns in the travel industry that have resulted in award-winning placements.
  • Fran Golden is is an award-winning travel writer. She is a frequent contributor to Bloomberg Pursuits, Virtuoso Life and Condé  Nast Traveler, among other publications, and co-author of several cruise travel books including Frommer’s EasyGuide to Alaskan Cruises and Ports of Call and Frommer’s EasyGuide to River Cruising.
  • Mark Edward Harris is the award-winning photographer behind books such as “The Way of the Japanese Bath” and “Inside North Korea” as well as a travel/documentary photojournalist whose work appeared in Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Islands, Marie Claire and The New York Times.
  • Josh Kahn is a well-respected tourism industry consultant and public relations specialist at award-winning boutique agency KTCpr as well as immediate past chairman for the prestigious New York Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
  • Norie Quintos is an award-winning journalist and editor at large for National Geographic Travel Media. She also helps destinations and travel companies find and tell their stories as a consultant on communications strategy, media relations, custom content and messaging.
  • James Shillinglaw, founder and editor-in-chief of Insider Travel Report, has been covering the travel industry for nearly 30 years for a number of trade publications. His new online newsletter delivers an insider perspective on the travel industry. He’s also a highly sought after industry speaker and panel moderator.

Winners will be announced at the Caribbean Tourism Industry Awards Gala during Caribbean Week NewYork, an elegant awards ceremony and dinner on Thursday, 6 June, 2019.

Tickets are available for $300 per person or $2,750 for a table seating 10 persons.

About Caribbean Week New York:

Caribbean Week New York is the largest regional tourism activity in the New York area. Artistes, performers, celebrity chefs, the Diaspora, investors and other strategic partners join government officials and the media for a week of festivities designed to raise awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse tourism industry and provide opportunities for member destinations to promote their individual products and services, participate in meetings, seminars and other business development activities to further enhance the Caribbean brand, and provide updates and critical support to travel agents and the media who influence key travel demographics.

Caribbean Week is supported by: Academy Engraving, American Express, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bedessee Sports, The British Virgin Islands, Bloomingdale’s, Blue Waters, Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, Cayman Islands, Cititech Solutions, Coyaba Beach Resort, Cool Tech Air Conditioning and Refrigeration LLC, Delta Airlines, Dominica, Doctor’s Cave, Four Season Resort Nevis, Grenada, Jamaica, James Beard Foundation, JetBlue, Lightspeed Reservation system, Martinique, Ocean Terrace Inn, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Sandals, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Saint Lucia, The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, Travel+Leisure, Williams-Sonoma.

To participate in, or sponsor any Caribbean Week New York event, visit www.caribbeanweek.com; email Caribbeanweek@caribbeanweek.com or call +1212-636-9350.

CTO members receive special concessions when they participate in Caribbean Week New York. To find out more about membership visit http://bit.ly/alliedmembers or email membership@caribtourism.com.

Posted in: 2019 News, Blog, Caribbean Week, Media Awards

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Former Minister, Two Directors of Tourism Among Recipients of CTO Allied Members Awards

Former Grenada tourism minister Brenda Hood is among six stalwarts of Caribbean tourism to be honoured by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) allied membership at the Travel Industry Awards Dinner during Caribbean Week New York (#CWNY2019) next month.

Hood is the chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority, and has served at various stages during her career on the CTO’s human resources technical committee, and the boards of the then Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (now the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency) and the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas.

She, along with Colin James, chief executive office of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, will receive the Allied Award for outstanding contributions to the region’s development.

The Allied Award was established in 2005 to recognise individuals within the CTO family – government, airline, cruise line, allied and affiliate members and CTO staff – who have done an extraordinary job of contributing, in a tangible way, to the sustainable development of the region.

Tourism director of the Cayman Islands, Rosa Harris, along with Laura Davidson, president and founder of Laura Davidson Public Relations, will be celebrated with the Jerry Award for the passion with which they serve the region.

Established in 1997 in memory of the late Jerry Magit who represented the allied members on the CTO’s board of directors, the Jerry Award recognises people who demonstrate a passion for the region and have dedicated time, energy, financial, and other personal and professional resources to its development.

Meanwhile, Noel Mignott, president and chief executive officer of The PM Group, and Annette Stowe, internet and conference administrator at CTO-USA, Inc., will receive the Special Recognition Award for high performance. This award honours high-performance individuals whose contributions, particularly in the last year, have truly made a difference among the region or Caribbean community and/or industry. It is not limited to service directly in the travel arena, but for service in any ancillary industry that supports tourism and brings continuous positive recognition to the region.

In addition to the CTO allied membership awards, CTO will announce the winners of the travel media awards and will present its Lifetime Achievement Award, its Distinguished Caribbean Citizen Award and its Award of Excellence, among others, while Jamaica will present the Marcella Martinez and the Marcia Vickery-Wallace awards.

The Travel Industry Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday 6 June from 7 – 10 p.m. at the Wyndham New Yorker (481 Eighth Avenue). Tickets for the dinner can be purchased online only via https://www.caribbeanweek.com/events/caribbean-tourism-industry-awards-dinner/.

 

About Caribbean Week New York:

Caribbean Week New York is the largest regional tourism activity in the New York area. Artistes, performers, celebrity chefs, the Diaspora, investors and other strategic partners join government officials and the media for a week of festivities designed to raise awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse tourism industry and provide opportunities for member destinations to promote their individual products and services, participate in meetings, seminars and other business development activities to further enhance the Caribbean brand, and provide updates and critical support to travel agents and the media who influence key travel demographics.

Caribbean Week is supported by: Academy Engraving, American Express, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bedessee Sports, The British Virgin Islands, Bloomingdale’s, Blue Waters, Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, Cayman Islands, Cititech Solutions, Coyaba Beach Resort, Cool Tech Air Conditioning and Refrigeration LLC, Delta Airlines, Dominica, Doctor’s Cave, Four Season Resort Nevis, Grenada, Jamaica, James Beard Foundation, JetBlue, Lightspeed Reservation system, Martinique, Ocean Terrace Inn, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Sandals, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Saint Lucia, The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, Travel+Leisure, Williams-Sonoma.

To participate in, or sponsor any Caribbean Week New York event, visit www.caribbeanweek.com; email Caribbeanweek@caribbeanweek.com or call +1212-636-9350.

CTO members receive special concessions when they participate in Caribbean Week New York. To find out more about membership visit http://bit.ly/alliedmembers or email membership@caribtourism.com.

Posted in: 2019 News, Blog, Caribbean Week

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CTO presents Dr. Roy Hastick, Sr., with its Distinguished Citizen Award

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (4 August 2018) – Hugh Riley, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) presented its “Distiguished Caribbean Citizen Award” to Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr., president and CEO of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), during a recent CACCI small business development power breakfast meeting. The honour is part of CTO’s Caribbean Tourism Industry Awards given annually during Caribbean Week New York festivities.

“The Caribbean Tourism Organization recognises Dr. Roy Hastick for his longstanding commitment to representing the interests of Caribbean people at the New York City and State levels,” said Riley (pictured on the right in the photo). “His steadfast endeavours to strengthen commercial links between the Caribbean and the region’s Diaspora are particularly worthy of commendation and for that reason we have bestowed the Distinguished Caribbean Citizen Award on him.”

“I am excited and thrilled to receive the Distinguished Caribbean Citizen Award from the Caribbean Tourism Organization, a prestigious association that promotes tourism in the region throughout the world,” said Hastick (pictured on the left in the photo). “For over 33 years CACCI has been promoting trade, investment and tourism between the United States and the Caribbean as well as helping thousands of small businesses in the New York metropolitan area survive and thrive.”

Hastick was born in Grenada and migrated to the U.S. in 1972 and worked for several years as an administrator, community advocate, entrepreneur and newspaper publisher. Through his involvement with organisations in the Borough of Brooklyn, Hastick recognised the need for the Caribbean community to unify in support of one another in order to improve the quality of life for everyone. As a result of his work in the small business community, Hastick was appointed Honorary Brooklyn Ambassador by Brooklyn Borough president Eric L. Adams.

As president and CEO of CACCI, he has helped grow the statewide membership organization to over 1,700 and provides expertise in providing business assistance to small start-up and emerging businesses in areas of business planning, financing, procurement, preparation for certification and business expansion, tourism and export/import opportunities.

CACCI’s extensive track record of service delivery includes sponsoring over 600 business networking meetings and establishing partnerships with US government and private business entities. Over the years, CACCI has sponsored numerous trade missions to the Caribbean, convened business meetings and held briefing sessions on behalf of several Caribbean Heads of State including Prime Ministers of Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Barbados, Haiti, Dominica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Chief Minister of Montserrat.

In August 2017, the CTO and CACCI formalised a cooperation strategy between the two organizations to enhance the level of engagement with the Caribbean Diaspora and to strengthen relationships with entities serving the people of the Caribbean.

Posted in: 2018 News, Blog, Caribbean Week

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CTO Honours Top Travel Journalists and Influencers at Expanded Media Awards Ceremony During Caribbean Week New York

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (9 May, 2018) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced the finalists for the Caribbean Tourism Industry Awards, an expanded media awards programme which will, for the first time, feature categories for social media influencers and campaigns in recognition of the changing media landscape and increasing relevance of non-traditional media. The winners will be unveiled at an elegant dinner ceremony at the New Yorker Hotel on 7 June during #CaribbeanWeekNewYork2018.

A distinguished panel of media and industry judges were enthusiastic about the quality of work represented at this year’s event. In particular, the expanded programme attracted a significantly greater number of entries for the No Anansi Story! and Me Too! I Rediscovered Home! categories which honour Caribbean-based and Diaspora media, respectively. The number of submissions for the newly introduced social media categories also surpassed expectations. The judges panel indicated that the prestigeous competition attracts a higher calibre of submissions each year.

A contest in which readers can select the winner for the Oh My Word, I Blogged! Best Caribbean Travel Blog Posting will continue to allow voting through 18 May, 2018.

For the remaining categories, the following finalists have been selected:

I Couldn’t Have Written It Better Myself: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Consumer Newspaper

  • Melanie Reffes: “Cost No Object: Caribbean Vacations for the One Percent” – USA Today
  • Jessie Serwer: “Grenada’s Grand Anse May Be the Most Authentic Caribbean Beach” – New York Daily News
  • Mark Rogers: “Graze the Grenada Spice Market” – USA Today

Been There, Wrote That: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Consumer Magazine

  • Charlotte Peterson: “Spring Regatta Spices Things Up” – Sailing Magazine
  • Ryan Grim: “What Mangoes Mean to the island of Nevis” – Extra Crispy
  • Rosalind Cummings-Yeates: “Home for a Hamilton: Don’t Throw Away Your Shot at Visiting Nevis” – USA Today Go Escape

Inner Circle King/Queen: Best Feature Article in a U.S.-based Trade Publication

  • Ed Wetschler: “8 Resorts Whose Kids Programs Teach Real Skills” – Recommend
  • Dan Peltier: “Cayman Islands Tests U.S. Meal-Kit Service to Boost its Food Tourism Marketing” – Skift
  • Mark A. Thompson: “Stopping to Smell the Flowers at Martinique’s French Coco” – Travel Weekly

Oh Snap! Best Photograph in Conjunction with a Feature Article

  • Patrick Dykstra: photo of sperm whale of Dominica accompanying “What’s New in the Caribbean” by Elaine Glusac – The New York Times
  • Alex Mustard: photo of schools of silversides accompanying “Keepin’ It Easy: 60 Years on, Grand Cayman Dives are as Spectacular as Ever” by Ted Alan Stedman – Scuba Diving Magazine
  • IKenna Douglas: photo for “Photography Takes Centre Stage” – Panache

Golden Mic: Best Feature Broadcast

  • Harold Jessurun: “No Small Feat: Displaced Children of Barbuda” – Isla y Vuelta
  • Nneka Faison: “Take a Trip to Curacao” – WCVB/WABC Boston
  • Darley Newman: “Travels with Darley in Martinique” – Travels with Darley

Virtual Visitor Award: Best Feature in an Online Publication (not including blogs)

  • Alexander Britell: “Following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Bimini” – Caribbean Journal
  • Alexander Britell: “Grenada, the Caribbean Capital of Chocolate” – Caribbean Journal
  • Lebawit (Lily) Girma: “13 Fun Things to Do in Curacao Right Now” – CNN Travel

Up the Social Ladder: Best Social Media Marketing Campaign by a CTO Member Country

  • Saint Lucia – “Let her Inspire You”
  • Grenada – “Free to Wander”
  • Bahamas – “No Filter”

Look, I’ve Gone Social: Most Outstanding Social Media Coverage of an Event or Activity (by a journalist or influencer)

  • Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon and Brian Major: “Get to Know Grenada” – JetSetSarah
  • Krista Simmons: “Experiential Offerings in Grenada” – Tastemade Travel
  • Yashekia Powell: “Full Travellers Guide to Jamaica Food & Drink Festival” – The World Up Closer

Me Too! I Rediscovered Home! Best Feature by a Diasporan Journalist in U.S. or Caribbean Media

  • Dora Isaac Weithers: “St. Kitts: The Little Caribbean Island with Large Tourist Appeal” – HubPages.com
  • Kristin Braswell: “Empathy Not Embargoes: The Hypocrisy of the U.S. Cutting Ties with Cuba” – Essence
  • Danielle Pointdujour: “4 Reasons to Fall in Love with this Classic Bahamas Resort All Over Again” – Essence.com

No Anansi Story! Best Feature by a Caribbean-based Journalist (that appeared in Caribbean-based media)

  • Marie-Claire Williams: “Pilgrimage to the Home of Reggae” – Barbados TODAY
  • Catherine Morris: “Families Flock Pirates Cove: Freeport Welcomes First Bahamian Theme Park” – Welcome Bahamas
  • Kinisha Correia: “More than Just Beads: Story and Myth” – Panache

CTO assembled a panel of expert media and travel industry judges to review submissions and determine the award-winners, led by head judge Yuriy Boykiv, CEO at Gravity Media, LLC:

  • Yuriy Boykiv, CEO at Gravity Media, LLC, was responsible for the entire spectrum of global markets in his previous role driving the growth and business of the for the WorldDirect platform as Director of International Business at DIRECTV
  • Tiffany Dowd, Founder and President, Luxe Social Media, advises luxury travel brands on social media marketing and online strategy and was recognized among the “25 Best Luxury Digital Experts To Follow”
  • Tony Fraser, veteran journalist with over 40 years of experience, a graduate in journalism, history, sociology, politics and economics, and international affairs, and part-time lecturer in journalism at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus
  • Terry Gallagher, President, Lou Hammond Group, New York, and destination marketing leader with over 30 years’ experience planned and implemented strategic campaigns in the travel industry that resulted in award-winning placements
  • Mark Edward Harris, award-winning travel/documentary photographer whose work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes Life, Islands, National Geographic Traveler, Playboy, Marie Claire, The New York Times and Vanity Fair
  • Andrea Hutchinson, a dynamic public relations expert and freelance events director with a degree in journalism and public relations, and experience in sponsor relations, marketing, logistics and creating strategic alliances on behalf of global brands
  • Josh Kahn, a well-respected tourism industry consultant and public relations specialist at award-winning boutique agency KTCpr as well as Immediate Past Chairman for the prestigious New York Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
  • Norie Quintos, award-winning journalist and Editor at Large for National Geographic Travel Media helping destinations and travel companies find and tell their stories as a consultant on communications strategy, media relations, custom content and messaging
  • Ruthanne Terrero, Vice President – Content/Editorial Director at Questex Travel Group, which includes Travel Agent Magazine, Luxury Travel Advisor, American Spa and Hotel Management, among other well-respected titles

Winners will be announced during #CaribbeanWeekNewYork2018 at an elegant awards ceremony and dinner gala on Thursday, 7 June, 2018. Tickets are available for $250 per person or $2,250 for a table seating 10 persons.

Learn more about the awards programme at https://www.onecaribbean.org/caribbean-media-awards-2018/ or visit www.CaribbeanWeek.com to browse events and activities planned throughout #CaribbeanWeekNewYork2018.

Posted in: 2018 News, Blog, Caribbean Week, Corporate News

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