Local

Tourism’s brightest recognised

28 June 2011

The tourism industry has recognised its own at the eighth annual Cayman Stingray Tourism Awards.

The ceremony at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Tuesday, 21 June, was attended by representatives of all private sectors plus a table of government officials, including Acting Director of Tourism Shomari Scott and Premier McKeeva Bush.

Mr. Bush, who was attending the awards ceremony for the first time since his election in 2009, said he was glad to see the sector celebrate its employees.

“Celebrating our tourism ambassadors makes this occasion close to my heart… [recognising] good service to our visitors as well as the local population. [The awards are] something that the private sector, the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, brings forward each year and I am confident that everyone is delighted that your organisation and your peers hold you in high esteem.

“Life as a country has changed. I look around and saw the elders here and people who have contributed tremendously to tourism over the years… making the tourism product what it has over the years and keeping them coming back now and again. All nominees are people who have contributed to the development of our quality tourism product,” he said.

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None better

The Premier went on to add that he had travelled extensively to other countries on business but there was none better than Cayman.

“Not in quality of service and properties; we don’t have to take second place. The faces are different, sceneries are different and demographics are different but we have something here that is special: let no-one fool you about that… we have much to be proud of and it takes all kinds, people from everywhere.

“We have 101 nationalities here and Caymanians, people who have Caymanian status, people with permanent residence, people on work permits – it is all who have made our own product one of the best. [They] have provided years of experience and committment in an industry which at all times experiences excessive employee mobility,” he said.

Nominees were treated to a three-course meal and speeches by Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Harry Lalli, plus an overview of the Association by Executive Director Trina Christian. Master of Ceremonies for the evening was the ever-engaging Max Hillier. Mr. Bush spent some of the evening in discussion with representatives of the United Kingdom’s foreign office but returned to present several awards including long service, special contribution and lifetime achievement.

Cayman Stingray Tourism Award winners 2011

Accommodations Manager of the Year: Matthew Smillie;

Accommodations Employee of the Year: Ainjalia Schvartz;

Watersports Manager of the Year: Mark Landman;

Watersports Employee of the Year: Steve Tippetts.

Transportation Employee of the Year: Dennis Smith;

Restaurant Manager of the Year: Arjun Gopi;

Restaurant Employee of the Year: Kimberly McField;

Allied Manager of the Year: Katherine Diane Jackson;

Allied Employee of the Year: Andrew White.

Rising Star Award: Mark Tilley.

Special recognition as Honorary Ambassador: Val Kegel.