Destang Named President of Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association

by Brian Major
Last updated: 1:20 PM ET, Wed September 25, 2024

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) named Sanovnik Destang, executive director of Saint Lucia’s Bay Gardens Resorts, its president this week, succeeding Nicola Madden-Greig following the end of her two-year term.

Destang is “ready to lead [CHTA] into a new chapter, focusing on people and technology [and] creating stronger linkages with other sectors of the Caribbean economy,” said CHTA officials in a statement.

“Being CHTA’s first president born in the 1980s, I fully understand the responsibility ahead of me,” said Destang. “My focus areas will be people, technology and linkages to other sectors of our economies and communities,” which is “aimed at attracting more members to [CHTA], bolstering our collective voice and impact.”

Joining Destang is a newly elected slate of executive officers, who along with CHTA regional vice presidents, committee chairs and other committee members will work with Destang over the next two years.

The executive officers are Karen Whitt of the Turks & Caicos’ The Hartling Group; Craig Marshall of Antigua & Barbuda’s Blue Diamond Resorts; Clifton Reader of Jamaica’s Palace Resorts; Kendra Hopkin Stewart of Grenada’s Blue Horizons Garden Resort; Bill Clegg of BW Hotels and Jim Hepple of Aruba’s Tourism Analytics.

Additional committee members will be announced shortly, said CHTA.

Meanwhile, outgoing president Madden-Greig praised the Caribbean’s resilience as it emerged as the fastest-recovering international tourism region the aftermath of coronavirus-driven closures and travel restrictions.

Under her leadership, CHTA partnered with international stakeholders to implement recovery measures and initiatives that included Caribbean entry portals and Caribbean Public Health Agency initiatives.

“Nothing has given me more joy than having headed the hard-working team that led the Caribbean to be the fastest recovering region in the world,” said Madden-Greig, “coming out of a once-in-a-century pandemic.”?

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