Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/799467
B M & T ••• November/December 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 15 J amaica has been recognized as the Caribbean's Leading Destination by the World Travel Awards during a glit- tering event at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort. Also among the winners at the Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony 2016 was Turks & Caicos, recognized as the Caribbean's Leading Beach Destinat- ion, while the trophy for the Caribbean's Most Romantic Destination went to Antigua & Bar-buda. In the aviation sector, Delta Air Lines was honored with two awards, walking away with prizes for North America's Leading Airline and United States' Leading Airline to the Caribbean. The event, hosted by Jamaican television personalities Yendi Phillips and Adrian Atkinson, welcomed performances from Ana Strachan, Tami T, Phylia and Etana. World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: "It has been an honor for World Travel Awards to return to Jamaica this evening and in particular to Sandals Ochi Beach Resort. "This has been a true celebration of tourism here in the Caribbean and North America and it has been a pleasure to recog- nize some of the leading lights of the industry here tonight." Wrapped in the lush beauty of rolling mountains, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, and a picture-perfect coastline, Sandals Ochi Beach Resort was the perfect host for the event. World Travel Awards voters also recognized Miami Beach Visitor & Convention Authority with the title of North America's Leading Tourist Board. Host Sandals Resorts International was also honored on the night, taking the title of Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand. "We are delighted to once again be honored by the prestigious World Travel Awards," said Gordon "Butch" Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts International. "We continue to invest in our prod- uct so that each year we can be proud to say we are Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand. Our number one priority remains to provide the best possible products and experiences for our customers, and we look forward to continuing to do so." Two special awards were also revealed. The honorable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica, was presented with the title of Caribbean's Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Tourism. At the same time, Sandals Foundation was honored with a tro- phy for Outstanding Contribution to Corporate Social Responsi- bility Projects. World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Each year World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individ- ual and collective successes within each key geographical region. World Travel Awards G ala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries, and international print and broadcast media. JAMAICA LEADS WINNERS AT WORLD TRAVEL AWA R D S C A R I B B E A N & N O R T H A M E R I C A G A L A C E R E M O N Y Sandals Ochi Beach Resort Copyright: V. J. Matthew