- A Debt of Gratitude to Dr. Jean Holder
The death of Dr. Jean S. Holder leaves a void in the travel and tourism industry that will never be filled. While many are aware of Dr. Holder’s contribution to regional tourism as a tireless Chairman of LIAT in recent years, it is important to note that the region’s debt to this scholar, educator, diplomat, author, industry leader, consummate tourism practitioner, and national awardee, dates back more than half a century.
It was in his role as a tourism leader that I knew him best.
As the executive director of the Caribbean Tourism Research and Development Centre (CTRC) from its inception in 1974, Jean Holder was one of the earliest and strongest proponents of the collection and analysis of regional tourism statistics as a tool for informed decision making throughout the industry in the Caribbean. He made the CTRC the repository of authentic tourism data, as he assembled teams of researchers and statisticians from across the region and beyond. In 1989 he led the CTRC into a merger with the New York based Caribbean Tourism Association to form the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), headquartered in Barbados, with offices in New York and London. Jean became the CTO’s first ever Secretary General, a position which he held for fifteen years and from which he piloted the CTO into becoming the region’s tourism development entity, representing Dutch, English, French and Spanish speaking Caribbean states and territories.
Jean had an amazing capacity for tackling and overcoming challenges. His ability to place the Caribbean prominently on the global stage as a leading tourism destination was legendary, as was his skill at forging alliances with all sectors of the travel and tourism industry in Barbados and overseas.
He was a master at diplomacy. His well-reasoned arguments were delivered with authority and with sensitivity molded from years of foreign service experience. His quick wit and disarming sense of humour helped to defuse many delicate situations in regional negotiations throughout the years.
Jean Holder made an indelible mark on Caribbean tourism. He will forever be remembered for his tutelage and nurturing of industry professionals, his creation of many of the systems and principles upon which the industry stands, and his skillful leadership in what is clearly one of the world’s most competitive industries. He never lost sight of tourism’s primary role as a tool of economic development. He was generous with his time, unselfishly sharing his knowledge and his considerable intellect.
I will forever be indebted to Jean Holder. To his daughters and his entire family, I express my deep condolences on the passing of this truly accomplished Barbadian. May he rest in peace.
Hugh Riley
Former Secretary General & Chief Executive Officer
Caribbean Tourism Organization
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