Industry will be forever indebted to ‘Butch’, regional tourism body says of late hotel mogul
/ Our Today
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The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has paid tribute to late hotel and business mogul Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, who died Monday at age 79.
As we mourn the loss of Caribbean tourism icon the Honorable Gordon “Butch” Stewart, OJ, CD, Hon. LLD, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Stewart family and the thousands of extended family members in the Sandals organisation,” Vanessa Ledesma, acting CEO and director general of the CHTA, said in a statement Tuesday (January 5).
“Our industry will forever be indebted to ‘Butch’ for his continued passion for excellence and legendary Caribbean hospitality. His vision has bestowed to the global industry a Caribbean organisation that adheres to the highest standards of excellence, celebrates and promotes the region’s uniqueness, and invests in the development of our people and communities.”
Ledesma said Stewart, one of the first recipients of the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year distinction, was a great supporter of the CHTA and an inspiration to many others in the region.
“Let us preserve and build upon his legacy by continuing to support the development of our industry.”
Since Stewart’s death, many other tributes have also come in for the late founder and head of Sandals Resorts International.
OTHERS ALSO HAIL ‘BUTCH’
Among those who paid tribute were Dr Peter Phillips, former leader of the opposition, who said Stewart was a visionary and genius marketer and the most significant and celebrated figure in Caribbean tourism.
In its tribute, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica said Stewart was a bold and innovative entrepreneur who was tenacious in his approach to business.
“The hallmark of Mr Stewart’s rise to veritable Caribbean business mogul from humble beginnings was his gregarious nature and infectious charm,” the PSOJ said.
“He was a people person who understood the power of delivering world-class service and experiences which underscored his first foray into business – Appliance Traders Limited that has evolved from a small appliance company to one of the country’s leading groups, spanning the retail and automotive industries.
“He was a true Jamaican patriot whose proclivity for innovation inspired the birth and expansion of arguably Mr Stewart’s greatest legacy, Sandals Resorts.”
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