On Friday, December 5, Coba Restaurant, at Viceroy Anguilla, was again the venue for the annual Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony organised by the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, with the involvement of the Tourist Board and a number of headline sponsors.
The event attracted a considerably large number of partners, in various sectors of the industry, filling to capacity all sections of the expansive dining area.
“It is a celebratory evening to recognise and honour our superstars in the hospitality industry,” said President of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association,” Mr Delroy Lake. He was at the time delivering the opening address for the event.
Referring to this year’s theme for Tourism Week, “Sustainable Practices for Significant Growth”, Mr Lake observed that Anguilla “had emerged from a rough history in which such prime resources as rain and fertile soil were scarce, forcing many forebears to leave their families to seek employment abroad.” He saw the rise of the tourist industry as a means of promoting social and economic growth and an improved quality of life in Anguilla.
“We cannot afford to recklessly milk the very essence of our natural assets that form the cornerstone of Anguilla’s tourism,” he cautioned. He pointed out that such offerings as gourmet cuisine, tranquillity, pristine beaches and water, along with warm people, were among the island’s natural and cultural treasures which needed to be protected at all cost.
Mr Lake commended Mrs Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, Executive Director of the Hotel and Tourism Association, for her hard work and dedication in organising the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony. She was grateful for his commendation, and proceeded to commence the presentation of awards.
The most prestigious award, Hotelier of the Year, was won by Mr Frederick Thompson, Manager of Carimar Beach Club. He joined the staff there as Facilities Manager in 1982 and was promoted Manager in 1995. Mr Thompson became Treasurer of the AHTA in 1997 and was elected President in 2000 and served for two terms. He was awarded Hotelier of the Year in 2001 and 2006; appointed to the Board of the Caribbean Hotel Association as one of Anguilla’s representatives in 2003; was appointed to the Anguilla Tourist Board in 2006 and served until 2010. He was re-appointed as Anguilla’s representative to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association in 2011 (an appointment he still holds).
The awardees received resounding applause from the large and appreciative audience.
