Sanovnik Destang will take up his role with CHTA with immediate effect

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association president Emil Lee has enhanced his executive committee by adding three Caribbean tourism industry professionals who will serve as regional vice presidents during his presidency. 

Lee has appointed Sanovnik Destang, executive director of Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, founder of Bedford Baker Group in the Bahamas, and Warren Binder, president Creative Travel Consultants in Florida. 

These three individuals will hold their posts for the 2014-16 biennium along with Lee, the new slate of officers that were elected in July 2014 and two other
regional vice presidents Lee appointed in July 2014.

Both Clarisa Jimenez, president of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, and Jose Rivera Campos, vice president of development for AMResorts in Cancún, were appointed earlier this year.

“The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association is enhanced by the addition of Sanovnik Destang, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace and Warren Binder as each gentleman brings an extensive knowledge of the operations of the Caribbean hotel industry to their position as regional vice president,” said Lee. 

“Their experience will prove vital to the future of the association as we strive to make it a more relevant Caribbean resource and visionary association,” added Lee.

An accountant by profession, Destang has served since 2008 as the executive director of Bay Gardens Resorts, an award-winning locally owned hotel chain in Rodney Bay Village, St. Lucia.

Vanderpool-Wallace’s Bedford Baker Group is a collection of independent professional advisors who provide services in travel, tourism and hospitality. 

Previously, his work in the Caribbean tourism industry includes minister of tourism of the Bahamas as well as the country’s director general, secretary general and chief executive of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and co-president of Resorts International, which at the time was the largest private company in the Bahamas. 

Binder formed Creative Travel Consultants in 1970 and his experience includes over 40 years of active involvement in the tourism industry including senior sales, marketing and management positions in both large and small organiwations operating in the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States and other international markets.