Bush collects world travel gongs for Cayman in TCI

(CNS): The Cayman islands won three gongs earlier this month at the regional round of this year’s world travel awards held in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Cayman scooped the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination’, while the Grand Cayman Beach Suites won ‘Cayman’s leading Hotel’ and the Ritz Carlton the ‘Caribbean’s leading Hotel Residences’. Premier McKeeva Bush was there in person, along with Shomari Scott, the director of tourism, to collect the trophies at the ceremony. “In these austere times the tourism industry has had to make tough decisions, rethink the way we do business and work harder and smarter to ensure we provide our visitors with exceptional value,” Bush stated at the glitzy event.

“Receiving awards such as these positively validates those efforts, underscoring that our collective vision and strategy is on the right track. I wholeheartedly commend and applaud our tourism industry partners for their accomplishments on behalf of their organisations and the Cayman Islands tourism product.”

Echoing the premier’s sentiments, Scott said he was delighted to have attended the WTA and proud that Cayman was on display as a winner.

The WTA awards programme, hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’ by the global media, highlights and rewards those travel brands that have made the greatest contribution to the industry over the past year.

Across the region St Lucia won the coveted title of “Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination”, Coco Reef Resort (Tobago) picked up “Caribbean’s Leading Hotel”, while Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island (British Virgin Islands) was voted “Caribbean Leading Private Island”.

Buccament Bay Spa & Resort (St Vincent) nudged ahead of The Hotel Chocolat (St Lucia), Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro (Dominican Republic), The Magdalena Grand Beach Resort (Tobago) and Cofresi Palm Beach & Spa Resort (Dominican Republic) to win “Caribbean’s Leading New Hotel”.

Jamaica’s continuing rise up the global tourism order was acknowledged after it was named “Caribbean’s Leading Destination”.

WTA president Graham Cooke underlined the depth and quality of the travel and tourism sector across the Caribbean region. “Our winners are also drawn from the breadth of the Caribbean & the Americans and reflecting the strength and depth of the region’s travel and tourism sector. “I am sure these organisations will fare strongly in our Grand Final, which takes place in New Delhi, India on December 12.”