With Kelly Fontenelle taking charge of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, the organization is bidding farewell to Ellison “Tommy” Thompson – a familiar face to the travel trade in Canada – who, as CEO of the organization for the past two-and-a-half years, critically helped steer St Kitts tourism’s pandemic recovery.
“The Board of Directors extends its profound appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Thompson for his strategic vision and unwavering commitment to advancing the tourism sector of St. Kitts,” said the Authority’s Ermelin Sebastian-Duggins, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Thompson’s leadership has truly enhanced the recognition of St. Kitts as a premier Caribbean destination.”
She continued: “The Tourism Authority looks forward to continuing Thompson’s legacy and driving the growth and development of the tourism industry. Because of his leadership, the future of tourism in St. Kitts is brighter than ever.”
Thompson played an integral role in increasing airlift and accessibility for travellers. St. Kitts has seen significant growth in international and regional airlift and cruise arrivals, including the first year-round direct flight from the New York Metro Area with JetBlue, as well as increased lift with notable airlines including interCaribbean Airways, Caribbean Airways, Air Canada, Sunrise Airways, United Airlines, and American Airlines.
Additionally, St. Kitts is now one of the fastest-growing cruise destinations in the region. Most recently, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas arrived on Jan. 30 with a capacity of 7,600 passengers.
Thompson was also at the helm of the destination’s new brand campaign, “Venture Deeper,” which brought St. Kitts to the global stage by focusing on the island’s natural beauty, unparalleled hospitality, and cultural richness.
Under Thompson’s leadership, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority launched a distinctive, first-of-its-kind island experience titled ‘Kittitian RumMaster’ for travellers looking for an immersive activity on the island. Additionally, the Tourism Authority unveiled its “Summer of Fun” to further promote year-round visitation to the island. St. Kitts’ Summer of Fun includes the Annual St. Kitts Music Festival with acclaimed artists such as Mary J. Blige, St. Kitts & Nevis Restaurant Week, Nevis Mango Festival, Nevis Culturama, and Caribbean Premier League Cricket.
St. Kitts has also achieved several milestones and received special recognitions, awards, and accolades under Thompson’s leadership, including Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List and Readers’ Choice Awards, Far & Wide’s Reader’s Choice Awards, Caribbean Journal’s Greenest Hotels and Destination of the Year, and numerous World Travel Awards.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to bring St. Kitts out of COVID protocols to a full recovery,” said Thompson, “The island of St. Kitts is a special place with such a vibrant community, and I am confident that the future holds even greater success for this incredible destination.”
New CEO
Fontenelle replaced Thompson as CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority effective July 1. She boasts 25 years of expertise in the tourism and event management sector with a distinct focus on Caribbean travel and the romance market. Most recently she served as director of marketing for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, USA and is the founder of Travel Advisors Selling the Caribbean. Her role incudes leading international marketing efforts for St. Kitts.