Destang (left) and Troubetzkoy (right)
(SNO) – Immediate past president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Karolin Troubetzkoy has returned for the second time as president of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), taking over from the esteemed Bay Gardens hotel chain executive Sanovnik Destang who did not seek re-election.
Troubetzkoy, who is the executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resorts, Saint Lucia, first took over the SLHTA presidency in March 2011. She served until January 2016 when she moved on to become the president of the CHTA – a position she held until June this year.
The new SLHTA executive is joined by newly-elected first vice president John Mathurin and the re-elected second vice president, Erwin Louisy.
Destang, who will stay on as the immediate past president, did not seek re-election on Friday at the SLHTA’s Annual General Meeting.
On a Facebook post, Destang said he and Noorani Azeez, who resigned as SLHTA chief executive officer (CEO) in April this year, have left the association in “good hands” with CEO Roderick Cherry and Troubetzkoy to carry on the “great work”.
“Running the affairs of the island’s (and arguably one of the region’s) most influential private sector organisations is definitely a team effort and what a team we led for just over two years!” Destang also wrote.
The Bay Gardens executive director said it has been a “rewarding” two and a half years and he thanked all the directors and members for the support, especially his family – both his immediate family and extended family at Bay Gardens Resorts.
Destang was also known for his efforts in youth development and promotion as president. He said he has already received encouragement from the new president to continue to his work – as part of a team effort – in the further development of linkages and youth development in tourism.
“It has been gratifying to see the rate at which the membership of our association has grown, both in size and diversity. In 2017 we welcomed 34 new members into the SLHTA family. We anticipate further growth in 2018,” he said in his final remarks at the 54th AGM held at Harbor Club in Rodney Bay, Gros Islet.
Meanwhile, Troubetzkoy, said having just served the regional tourism body for several years, she was “hesitant” to “step back” into the SLHTA presidency.
“I was touched by the many emails and phone calls I received to encourage me to accept the nomination, but at the same time, I am sure we all agree, that we need to take a serious look at our succession planning and ensure that qualified and experienced tourism leaders will get exposed to our SLHTA operations and that they will be ready and be prepared to take on this mantle of responsibility sooner rather than later,” she said in her address at the AGM, after being re-elected.
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