Minister of Tourism and Aviation Vincent Vanderpool-wallace of Bahamas, The

Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism OrganisationBahamian Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace is no stranger to the soundbite, the catch-phrase, the shorthand that cuts to the heart of the message he is trying to push as the secretary-general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.

I have never seen a greater mobilisation of the governments of the Caribbean," Vanderpool-Wallace was quoted as telling the Barbados Daily Nation.

The recipient of various honours including lifetime achievement awards, Vanderpool-Wallace has been recognised by none other than his current employer, the CTO, as one of fifty people who contributed most to Caribbean tourism in the last half-century.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace was appointed to the position of Director General of Tourism for the Bahamas in January 1993.

Vanderpool-Wallace joined the staff at Resorts International Bahamas, the largest company in the Bahamas, where he held various managerial positions throughout the company.

Vanderpool-Wallace was named Person of The Year for Caribbean by Travel Agent Magazine in 1998 and served for many years as Chairman of the Marketing Committee of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO.

Vanderpool-Wallace is also past Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas, where he participated in the privatization of eight government owned hotels.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace is married to the former Tietchka Knowles of Nassau in which they have four children, Aleksandra, Adrianna, Kilian and Cydnay.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace takes up new assignment in his native Bahamas.

Vanderpool-Wallace was selected because of his strong leadership capabilities and creativity demonstrated during his 26 years of service to Commonwealth of the Bahamas including the last 12 years as the Director General of Tourism in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism,” said Pamela C.

Vanderpool-Wallace was appointed to the position of Director-General Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in 1993.

In 1982, Vanderpool-Wallace joined the staff of Resorts International (Bahamas) Ltd.

Vanderpool-Wallace was sworn in to the cabinet position in a ceremony on July 7.

Vanderpool-Wallace was the commencement speaker for his Executive MBA class, which graduated in August 1980.

I think Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace is one of those individuals who in fact generates confidence in the Bahamian people just by his mere presence, because of his knowledge and his vast experience, because of his love for his country," he said.

Minister of Tourism and Aviation Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said while the country has come far in revamping operations at the country's main gateway, there's still a long way to go.

Vanderpool-Wallace said it's about time for authorities at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) to stop waiting on the green light from government officials to carry on with the airport's business.

Vanderpool-Wallace said small steps like these are what the country needs to boost operations at LPIA and in turn fuel the tourism product.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallace said the digital economy presents enormous opportunities to the Caribbean to increase the bottom line and the quality of the region’s tourism.

The Cayman Islands is hosting the four-day conference from 21-24 May, which is held under the theme, “Keeping the right balance: Health and Wellness- Communities, Environments and Economies.

privatization of eight government owned hotels.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace was appointed to the position of Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization in June 2005 after serving as Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for 12 years.

Vanderpool-Wallace has received several honours throughout his career including the Albert E Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Advertising by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the Atlas Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association of Travel Marketing Executives International.

Vanderpool-Wallace has also been active in other areas of his country’s development, serving as Chairman of the Management Committee of the Bahamas Tourism Training Centre, Director of both the Central Bank of The Bahamas and the Bank of The Bahamas and Chairman of the Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas where he participated in the privatization of eight government owned hotels.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace has four children, Aleksandr, Arianna, Kilian and Cydnay and is married to the former Tietchka Knowles of Nassau.

Providing a preview of his address Minister Vanderpool-Wallace said all effective strategies for the strongest possible economic rebound “must focus our energies and resources on urgent and important matters instead of the true but relatively trivial as a form of national triage.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallace has yet to make any public statements about his vision for the number one industry since coming to office in early July, and when approached, has politely refused to answer any questions.

Now Mr Vanderpool-Wallace says the only thing delaying the move to reveal Government's latest plans to buoy the tourism industry, is the fact that there is "too much noise in the market" at present, in view of the economic uncertainty in the United States.

Still, both Sir Stafford Sands and Vanderpool-Wallace took office amidst a number of similar challenges and opportunities, and possess comparable gifts, namely, imagination, intellect and gravitas.

Vanderpool-Wallace knows that if he simply increases revenues and visitor numbers, the glass would only be a quarter full.

CTO Secretary General Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said in an interview with Prensa Latina that several Caribbean destinations will be hit hard by the US decision to ask its nationals to bear a passport upon returning home by air from neighboring foreign territories.

Not only do the leaders have to adopt urgent policies to deal with the oil price crisis, which is more devastating than some hurricanes, but they also have to communicate these policies effectively to all stakeholders and fortunately for the region Vanderpool-Wallace is a master communicator, added LeLaulu, whose organization produces the Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) which gathers cabinet ministers with the media and other movers and shakers twice a year.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallace said selling products like rum cakes and other Caribbean products on the Internet should also be considered.

Vanderpool-Wallace is a proponent of a more unified marketing approach for the Caribbean region and his leaving the CTO post comes as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) yesterday announced $60-million campaign to market the region as a single destination.

Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace has said that a better understanding of the dynamics of tourism is needed if the region is to get maximum benefits from the sector.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallace has been involved in the Caribbean tourism industry for three decades, including 12 years as the Director General of Tourism in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Vanderpool-Wallace is concerned however that despite surveys consistently showing a Caribbean vacation is the most desired in the world, and that the United Nations believes no sector has greater potential to reduce poverty than tourism, the rate of tourism growth in the region has been constrained by low expectations of the industry's potential.

Vanderpool-Wallace had served as Director General of Tourism in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for 12 years and has had a long and distinguished career in tourism in both the public and private sector of The Bahamas and in the region.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Secretary-General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said that a better understanding of the dynamics of tourism is needed if the region is to get maximum benefits from the sector.

Vanderpool-Wallace said this has influenced the CTO’s decision to hold the inaugural Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit (ACTS), in Washington DC from 22-25 June.

Vanderpool-Wallace said the United States was chosen for the inaugural summit because of the opportunity for a much stronger and more forceful lobbying effort with the international agencies based in Washington, as well as the US government.

Only last week, Vanderpool-Wallace was front and center at the first Caribbean Tourism Summit in Washington, calling for unity and partnership among the private and public sectors.