Tourism

BHTA PROMOTES TWO TEAM MEMBERS

THE Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) has promoted two of its team members. They are Tessalee Moore and Rhea Walker who recently assumed the positions of Special Projects Manager and Member Relations Marketing Officer, respectively.

Moore, who started with the BHTA in 2019 as an intern while pursuing studies in Tourism Management (Special) at the University of the West Indies, Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management (CHTM) in the Bahamas, is now responsible for the effective assessment, development and implementation of special projects created by the BHTA, among other duties.

Excited about her new role she said, “My journey with the BHTA has been a true testament to my passion for tourism. I am privileged to progress to this role. This promotion not only signifies career growth but also validates my dedication to advancing destination Barbados through the Association, a responsibility I hold in the highest regard. As a young leader, I am driven by the belief that success transcends age, focusing instead on resilience, capability and unwavering determination.”

Moore, who was also recently selected to serve on the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Young Leaders Forum class 2024-2026, explained that she is committed to fostering valuable partnerships in her new role at the BHTA, while leading innovative projects, and achieving remarkable results with her dedicated team.

Walker, who has served as the Association’s Administrative Assistant/Receptionist for the past six years is also honoured by her promotion, “My time with the BHTA has been rewarding and has moulded my professional path, while instilling excitement for future endeavours. I appreciate the exposure to the various aspects of the tourism industry provided through working with the Association.

“From advocacy to stakeholder engagement, working with the BHTA has broadened my scope and has given me a world of experience which has contributed to my professional as well as personal growth. I recognise this as an opportunity to make a real impact and drive innovation within the organisation and the industry as a whole. With the commitment to enhancing our membership experience and advocating for industry interests, I am eager to use my skills and vision to propel the BHTA to even greater success. I welcome the new challenge.”

In her new capacity, Walker will be responsible for overseeing various BHTA initiatives aimed at enhancing the membership experience and fostering organisational growth including crafting strategic membership development programmes and networking opportunities,

CEO of the BHTA Ryan Forde congratulated Moore and Walker on their promotions and stated, “Tessalee and Rhea have been instrumental in the development of the BHTA Secretariat in more ways than one and their promotions are well justified. Many of our members and board have worked with them and have only had positive words to say.

“Tessalee led the BHTA’s project management of the just concluded 2023 CHTA Marketplace 41 hosted in Barbados and that was a huge undertaking as the island welcomed 800 plus industry partners and media to the destination and the behind the scenes work with our partner tourism agencies and members was key to the success.

“Meanwhile, Rhea would have led the execution of the marketing campaigns for all of our recent tradeshows and worked in numerous advocacy capacities on behalf of the membership. Both would have excelled in their roles and beyond in many more areas, so for the Board and I it was an easy selection process to promote two young, bright and goal driven individuals.”

Forde added that the BHTA aims at keeping young people active in the industry through opportunities for training and development, “We are not the everyday Secretariat. We wish to be leaders in the direction of our industry’s development and one main area is through our people. As such, I am very excited to have them and others lead our team.” (PR)

Tourism

BARBADIAN REUBEN LEROY BROWNE NAMED GENERAL MANAGER AT WYNDHAM GRAND BARBADOS SAM LORDS CASTLE

Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle has appointed Barbadian Reuben Leroy Browne as General Manager of the all-inclusive luxury resort in St. Philip.

With over 30 years of experience in the tourism industry with major international brands across the Caribbean, Browne will be responsible for the hotel’s operations including enhancing guest experiences and revenue growth, while focusing on strategic planning, resource management and prioritizing environmental and social responsibility activities, among other tasks.

The new General Manager, who took up the post last month (October), said, “Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of getting to know our amazing team and exploring everything our beautiful resort has to offer. Our team is truly dedicated, and together we are committed to enhancing the guest experience as we approach the winter season.

“I’m proud to share that all of our resort’s food and beverage outlets are all operational, including the Mediterranean Restaurant for all-day dining, Sam Lords Grill, and our signature fine-dining venue, Castle View. Our Lucy’s Lounge, named in honor of Sam Lords’ wife, adds a unique touch to the resort, and we also have six well-appointed bars throughout the property to cater to our guests’ needs.”

He added that the spa, 24 hour gym and Kid’s Club are also functioning at full steam for both locals and visitors to utlise and said, “Our next steps will be to fill key vacancies starting with the Director of Sales and Marketing. We are also continuing our promotion of the property in key source markets at events such as World Travel Market in London, which our Revenue Manager attended earlier this month.”

Browne, who has a strong educational background from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and several management development programmes, most recently served as General Manager of an all-inclusive 294 suite property in Antigua.

Since starting his career in the industry in 1984, he has developed a successful track record in various leadership roles including Food and Beverage Manager, Operations Manager, Residence Manager, Director of Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at renowned hotels and resorts in Barbados and the region.

An active member in various professional associations including the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) and past member of the Downtown Nassau Partnership, he also dedicates his time to charitable endeavors including the Optimist Club. (PR)

Caption: Barbadian Reuben Leroy Browne has been appointed General Manager of the all-inclusive Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle.

Tourism

BHTA BARBADOS NATIONAL CULINARY TEAM OFF TO TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 2024

Members of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Barbados National Culinary Team left the island last Saturday to compete in the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Taste of the Caribbean, which takes place in Miami from November 18 to 20.

They are Chef Rynaldo Joseph, Junior Chef Dejuan Toppin, Pastry Chef Rickeena Kirton and Mixologist Alex Chandler, along with Team Manager Adrian Cumberbatch, Assistant Team Manager Javon Cummins and Coaches Damian Leach and Rohan Hackshaw.

Cumberbatch noted that the team is ready to put their best plates and beverages forward: “There has been a lot of preparation over the past few weeks to get everyone ready for the competition. Our focus was on strengthening a number of areas ranging from time management to concepts and flavor profiles. After weeks of hard work and dedication I can confidently say that the team members are all ready to showcase their talent and skills and to make Barbados proud.”

BHTA’s Special Projects Manager, Tessalee Moore, who is among a BHTA contingent, including Chairman Javon Griffith and CEO Ryan Forde, attending Taste to support the team, explained that the Association was more than happy to be facilitating the process to get team Barbados to the prestigious event.

Caption: Members of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Barbados National Culinary Team at the GAIA yesterday with BHTA CEO Ryan Forde (left) and Special Projects Manager Tessalee Moore (second from left) on the way to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Taste of the Caribbean in Miami.

“We are extremely happy that Taste is back and that Barbados can attend and defend our title as Caribbean Team of the Year. But beyond that, for the BHTA, Taste is more than a competition. It is also a major training and developmental tool for our chefs and mixologists as it provides educational opportunities by way of seminars, workshops and demonstrations on the trends and emerging concepts in Food and Beverage.

“While we would love Team Barbados to bring home gold and the bragging rights as Team of the Year again, we equally want the members to gain from this experience in a way that will propel their careers and for them to willingly share their knowledge with their peers when they return. This is their opportunity to showcase their skills on an international platform and we want them to take full advantage of that opportunity.” (PR)

Tourism

EXPLORA 11 DOCKS FOR THE FIRST TIME

The Explora II docked at the Port of Bridgetown for the first time yesterday, bringing 427 passengers to the island’s shore.

During a plaque exchange ceremony on board the vessel, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding- Edghill, thanked Captain Serena Melani for guiding what he described as a “magnificent” ship into the Port of Bridgetown.

“We certainly want to thank you and your team on board, and certainly the executives at MSC, for taking the opportunity to continue to have the confidence in Barbados as a home port,” he said.

Captain of the vessel, Serena Melani, who was the first woman in cruise industry history to captain a new ocean cruise ship launch in February 2020, said it was “nice to be back”, and that she was happy to bring another vessel to the Barbados. She previously brought the Explora I to the island during the 2023-2024 winter season.

*Minister of Tourism Ian Gooding Edghill & Captain Serena Melani*

The Explora Journeys’ Explora II transatlantic cruise itinerary, which began in Barcelona, Spain, will make six homeporting visits to Barbados during the 2024-2025 winter season.

The next port of call for the cruise vessel is Fort-de-France, Martinique.

In addition to the Explora II, the Port of Bridgetown also welcomed the MSC Magnifica for the first time. Britannia P&O and Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas also docked yesterday, bringing a total of 8,000 visitors to the island. (PR/GIS)