Five Outstanding Individuals and Entities Win Tourism Resilience Awards

Five Jamaican and three Canadian individuals and organizations have been recognized for their outstanding contribution to boosting tourism resilience.

The Jamaican winners received their awards from the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), while the Canadian victors earned their accolades from ECO Canada.

The awards were presented at an open-air gala dinner on the Sky Terrace of Princess Grand Jamaica on February 18, 2025, climaxing two packed days of penetrating presentations covering various aspects of digital transformation as it impacts the global tourism industry, at the 3^rd Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo, held from February 17-19, 2025.

The GTRCMC awardees include Couples Resorts, which is a trailblazer in luxury tourism and has an unwavering commitment to sustainability and authentic Caribbean experiences; Jakes Hotel, Villas and Spa in Treasure Beach, whose Chairman, Jason Henzell, was hailed for his commitment to ensuring that the sustainability of the area and the success of its stakeholders are at the forefront of the guest experience.

Among the other winners were: Alligator Head Foundation in Portland, a community-based marine preservation organization dedicated to the conservation of the parish’s diverse habitat; while Executive Deputy Chairman for Chukka Caribbean Adventures, John Byles, a distinguished businessman and investment strategist with a strong background in finance, tourism and corporate leadership, received an award for the pivotal role he played in the establishment and management of the local tourism industry’s innovative Resilience Corridors during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the heights of the pandemic, Mr. Byles served as Chairman of the Resilience Corridors Committee.

The fifth local awardee was Co-founder & CEO of Bresheh Enterprises, Randy McLaren whose verandah business of manufacturing luxury bags has grown into a global enterprise, reflecting sustainability and worker skill development.

Meanwhile ECO Canada recognized Jai Ragunathan, a foremost global expert on ocean technology; the Government of Yukon received an award for being a role model of sustainable development, and technology company Futurescale, received an award for their work in identifying future needs of destinations.

Giving a celebratory address, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, said:

“Establishing this award is not just a moment for celebration.”

“It is really a moment for us to showcase and to give special prominence to individuals, organizations, and institutions that have understood the importance of building the capacity to forecast disruptions, to mitigate against, manage and recover quickly from disruptions and to thrive.”

Reflecting on the founding of the GTRCMC and its expansion to include six satellites across the globe, he highlighted the role of Professor Lloyd Waller as executive director and other partners, noting that it was deliberately founded in academia “and not part of government and any political arrangement because one of the things I didn’t want is for any administration of the future, with a different philosophy and perspective, and even a different vision, to make any drastic changes to that construct which we established at the University of the West Indies.”

Mr. Bartlett who founded the GTRCMC said: “Putting the Centre in the heart of academia ensured that it was insulated against political ambitions.”

SEEN IN IMAGE:  Jason Henzell (left), chairman of Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa, the premier resort establishment in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth receives a Global Tourism Resilience award from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith during a special awards ceremony at the Princess Grand Jamaica resort on February 18, 2025. The award was presented at a gala dinner, climaxing the 3^rd Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo with delegates coming from as far as Africa.

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Dr. Kingsley Roberts

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Ministry of Tourism

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