The leader of one of the world’s leading resort companies will outline a vision for Caribbean tourism as he sets the tone for the region’s most important tourism gatherings, the State of the Industry Conference.

The chief executive officer of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart, will deliver the keynote address at the September event Barbados.

The appearance was confirmed earlier by the chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Barbados’ minister of tourism and international transport Richard Sealy.

“We are honoured and excited to announce Adam Stewart, the chief executive officer of Sandals Resorts International as the keynoter for SOTIC.

“Sandals is an influential Caribbean brand.

“Its impact on the economies of the countries in which it operates, and the other benefits it brings, such as immense global exposure which we otherwise could not afford, cannot be missed,” Sealy said at a news conference at the CTO headquarters. 

Described as “a maverick on a mission, an energetic change agent, and an innovator who is not constrained by convention,” Stewart is expected to share his views on the opportunities that lie ahead for Caribbean tourism and what must be done to cash in on these opportunities.

His presentation will focus on the conference theme, Honouring Our Legacy, Defining Our Future, and is expected to draw on the Sandals chief’s experiences in leading the growth and expansion of the global brand since he took over as its chief executive officer at the age of 25.

The keynote address will launch the first full day of the conference on Thursday, September 15th at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

More Information

The CTO State of the Industry Conference is the pre-eminent tourism gathering in the region.

It brings together tourism decision-makers, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, hotel and airline executives, travel agents, students, the media and persons directly and indirectly involved in tourism.

It is preceded by CTO business meetings, including meetings of the board of directors and the Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism.