Cayman Islands Backs 2026 CMEx Awards Celebrating Caribbean Tourism Leaders

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism will lead sponsorship of the 2026 CMEx Leadership Awards and Fundraiser in the Miami area. The December event will honour influential figures in Caribbean tourism, aviation, hospitality, sustainability and media, while raising funds for professional training, youth development and educational initiatives across the region.

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism will serve as lead sponsor of the 2026 Caribbean Media Exchange, or CMEx, Leadership Awards and Fundraiser, strengthening the destination’s profile in a major regional gathering for tourism, aviation, hospitality, sustainability and media professionals.

The awards luncheon will take place on Sunday, 6 December, at Loews Coral Gables Hotel in the Miami area. It will bring together Caribbean and international leaders whose work is helping shape the region’s tourism economy, environmental agenda, destination development and public voice.

CMEx confirmed that the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism will be the event’s Platinum Sponsor. Anguilla Tourist Board and Carnival Corporation will support the programme as Gold Sponsors.

A platform for Caribbean leadership

The annual CMEx Leadership Awards recognise individuals whose work has made a practical difference across the Caribbean. The 2026 honourees represent journalism, cruise tourism, aviation, public service, sustainability, hotel development, education and marine tourism.

The list includes Anne Kalosh, freelance journalist and editor at Seatrade Cruise News; Gercine Carter, journalist at The Nation Publishing Co. Limited; and Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, journalist and founder of JetSetSarah.com. Their recognition reflects the continuing importance of informed storytelling and specialist reporting in presenting Caribbean destinations to international audiences.

Tourism and government leadership will also be represented. Jennifer Griffith, Permanent Secretary at Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism, and Natasha Chalwell, Deputy Director of Tourism for the British Virgin Islands, are among the award recipients. Their roles highlight how public policy, destination planning and regional cooperation remain central to tourism growth.

The programme will also honour cruise and airline executives, including José Freig, Vice President of International and Inflight Dining Operations at American Airlines, and Russell Benford, Vice President of Government Relations, Americas, at Royal Caribbean. Giora Israel, a strategic adviser in global cruise tourism, port development and the blue economy, will also be recognised.

Cayman Islands places regional cooperation at the centre

For the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, the sponsorship offers more than event visibility. It places the destination alongside industry figures working to build a stronger, more connected and more sustainable Caribbean visitor economy.

Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands and a 2023 CMEx laureate, said the partnership reflects Cayman’s support for regional achievement and long-term investment in people.

The Cayman Islands has built an international travel identity around premium beach holidays, diving, culinary tourism and high-value visitor experiences. However, the sponsorship also allows the destination to emphasise its links with the wider Caribbean tourism community, particularly as regional destinations seek better air access, stronger cruise partnerships, skilled workforces and responsible growth.

CMEx President Bevan Springer said the department’s support will help the organisation celebrate regional leaders while advancing educational and professional development opportunities.

Such support is significant because the Caribbean tourism sector depends on collaboration across many markets. Visitors often combine islands, airlines operate regional networks, and cruise lines connect ports across multiple countries and territories. Shared learning, workforce development and sustainability programmes can therefore have an impact well beyond one destination.

Caymanian entrepreneurship joins the event

As part of the sponsorship, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is partnering with Ted Green, a Cayman-based fragrance house established in 2007.

Ted Green produces perfumes, candles and diffusers inspired by Caribbean botanicals, culture and memories. Its involvement will bring a local business and cultural dimension to the awards programme, showcasing how destination identity can be expressed through creative products as well as hotels, beaches and visitor attractions.

The partnership is also a reminder that tourism value extends beyond accommodation and transport. Locally created products can help visitors form a deeper connection with a place, while creating opportunities for small businesses, artists and entrepreneurs.

For Cayman, featuring a home-grown fragrance company at a regional leadership event gives the destination an opportunity to present its creative economy alongside its established tourism strengths.

Honourees reflect the industry’s wider priorities

The 2026 award recipients also underline the broader issues now shaping Caribbean travel. Sustainability and environmental protection feature prominently through honourees including Jake Kheel, Vice President of Sustainability at Grupo Puntacana, and Carmen Portela, Justice and Equity Coordinator at GreenLatinos.

Kelly Meister, Director of Education and Sustainability at Dolphin Encounters Ltd., and Robert Meister, the company’s Managing Director, will also be recognised. Their inclusion reflects the increasing focus on marine environments, visitor education and responsible wildlife tourism.

Hotel and resort leadership will be represented by Ralph Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive of Arcadia Hotels & Resorts. The range of honourees demonstrates that the Caribbean visitor economy is not driven by one sector alone. It relies on aligned work by governments, airlines, cruise companies, resorts, local businesses, environmental organisations, educators and journalists.

The awards luncheon will run from 11.30am to 2.30pm. Proceeds will support CMEx educational programmes, youth development initiatives and professional training for emerging Caribbean tourism and media leaders.

“CMEx continues to create an important platform for recognising the people whose vision, professionalism and commitment strengthen Caribbean tourism. The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism’s support sends a clear message that regional collaboration, young talent and responsible growth must remain at the centre of the Caribbean’s future travel success.” — Anup Kumar Keshan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World

Building skills for the next generation

A key purpose of the fundraiser is to create opportunities for young people and professionals entering tourism and media. This matters at a time when destinations are competing for skilled employees and adapting to fast-changing traveller expectations.

Tourism remains one of the Caribbean’s most important economic pillars. Yet its future will depend on more than arrival numbers. Workforce skills, climate resilience, digital communication, local enterprise and community participation will all influence how destinations grow.

By supporting CMEx, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is helping fund initiatives designed to prepare future leaders for those challenges. The awards also provide a moment for the industry to recognise the people already setting standards across the region.

The 2026 CMEx Leadership Awards will place Caribbean tourism, media, sustainability and community leadership in the spotlight. With the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism as lead sponsor, the Miami event will celebrate regional achievement while raising funds for training, youth development and future Caribbean travel industry talent.

Cayman Islands Tourism’s lead sponsorship gives the 2026 CMEx Leadership Awards a strong platform for celebrating Caribbean achievement. By recognising leaders across tourism, aviation, media and sustainability, the fundraiser also directs attention towards education, skills and youth opportunities needed to support a more resilient, inclusive and competitive regional visitor economy.