Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1194291
B M & T ••• September/October 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 35 BAY GARDENS RESORTS APPOINTS KELLY FONTENELLE-CLARKE TO OVERSEE U.S. SALES Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia has appointed pop- ular St. Lucian-American travel professional Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke as its repre- sentative in the United States. The Atlanta-based Fontenelle- Clarke has more than two dozen years of marketing experience, including many years working for her homeland with the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and the newly formed Saint Lucia Tourism Authority. She played an integral role in the St. Lucia Expert Loyalty Program, which reached more than 20,000 agents over five years, and developed the Romance Specialist Program, which helped to strengthen St. Lucia's reputation as a leading romance destination. She also led integrated marketing campaigns for the island and guided the United States national public relations program. "We are very happy to welcome Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke to the Bay Gardens family, as we seek to enhance our presence in the important United States market," said Sanovnik Destang, executive director of the family-owned hospitality chain. "As Kelly grows our influence among U.S. tour operators, travel agents and meeting planners, we expect to meet and surpass our sales goals in the years ahead." Destang described Fontenelle-Clarke as having a proven track record for driving success and achieving top-tier results in travel and tourism marketing. "Her expertise is largely unmatched and we are honored to welcome her to the family." "I am very excited to join a homegrown Caribbean brand with a world-class reputation for authenticity and excellence," said Fontenelle-Clarke, who holds a master's degree in market- ing, a bachelor's in hospitality management, a certificate in tourism planning and a certificate in marketing strategy. ABOUT BAY GARDENS RESORTS: Bay Gardens Resorts is a group of locally-owned and -oper- ated award-winning hotels all located in, or near, St. Lucia's entertainment capital Rodney Bay Village. All five of Bay Gardens Resorts' properties - Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel, Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Bay Gardens Marina Haven and Waters Edge Villas by Bay Gardens Resorts - are near over 40 restaurants, entertainment venues, duty-free shop- ping malls, the Treasure Bay Casino and Rodney Bay Marina. All properties offer comfortable accommodations, traditional Caribbean cuisine, and warm Caribbean service and hospitality. Bay Gardens' Splash Island Water Park, the first open-water sports park in the nation, is a popular attraction just off St. Lucia's Reduit Beach. For further information, visit www.bay- gardensresorts.com. KELLY FONTENELLE-CLARKE and creative ingenuity of international filmmakers were explored. This was followed by the REDHOT Mixer, CaribbeanTales' annual TIFF network- ing event where a diverse audience of industry insiders sought opportuni- ties to connect with talent and community. During CaribbeanTales' Environmental Night, Virgin Islands author and filmmaker Peter Bailey presented "Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders", a film based on surviving Hurricanes Irma and Maria on his native St. Thomas. A week earlier, Commissioner Boschulte continued his media rounds, interviewing with Alicia Wright-DaCosta of G98.7 FM, which features an urban adult contemporary radio format in Toronto. He also updated the viewers of CP24, Toronto's breaking news television channel. ABOUT THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow them on Instagram @visitusvi and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/VisitUSV. When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel - includ- ing on-line check-in - making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens. Commissioner Boschulte,with on-air personality Alicia Wright-DaCosta