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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (29 January 2026) — The St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA) has officially launched the St. Kitts Travel Advisor Board, a high-level advisory collective designed to deepen collaboration with frontline travel professionals and sharpen the destination’s competitive edge in the global marketplace.

The initiative brings together elite travel advisors from key source markets, combining real-time market intelligence with destination strategy to ensure St. Kitts and Nevis remains a premier Caribbean choice for today’s discerning traveler. By tapping into advisors’ daily interactions with consumers, the SKTA aims to refine destination positioning, guide innovative product development, and strengthen international awareness through authentic, experience-led storytelling.

“This launch reflects our continued commitment to meaningful partnership with the travel advisor community,” said Kelly Fontenelle, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “By listening to and collaborating with our valued partners, we stay agile in the face of global trends and evolving consumer behaviour. Travel advisors are the storytellers of our destination, and their insight is the bridge between our vision and the visitor’s experience.”

The Travel Advisor Board operates on a multidimensional growth model—blending strategic consultation with practical advocacy. Members provide quarterly insights on emerging global trends while offering direct feedback on accommodations, excursions, and all-inclusive experiences to ensure St. Kitts’ tourism product consistently exceeds expectations.

Beyond advisory sessions, board members serve as destination ambassadors across their professional networks and participate in curated Familiarization (FAM) experiences. This approach ensures SKTA’s trade and marketing initiatives are grounded in actionable data and genuine traveler needs, reinforcing credibility in key markets.

Introducing the Travel Advisor Board Members

• Vinnie Vats (Canada) – Managing Director of Travelair International Inc., a Toronto-based agency with more than 35 years of success. A specialist in luxury villas, premium safaris, and cruises, Vats brings deep expertise in supplier partnerships, recruitment, and advisor training.
• Paula Iwanski (USA – Southeast) – Founder of The Art of Travel Company, a Virtuoso-affiliated boutique agency. With a background in marketing, she curates bespoke Caribbean itineraries for affluent clients, pairing destinations with refined, personalized experiences.
• Debra Hines Brown (USA – Southeast) – CEO of SmartBird World Travel and a 50-year industry veteran. A member of the Northstar Travel Group Black Advisor Board, she offers global insight into luxury design, executive retreats, compliance, and immersive “sense-of-place” travel.
• Christy Mackley (USA – Southeast) – Independent advisor with The Journey Group Travel, specializing in scuba diving expeditions and luxury Caribbean escapes. Her expertise supports adventure, marine, and niche tourism development.
• Sara Purdy (USA – Northeast) – Owner of Purdy’s Journeys LLC and a three-term Envoyage Ambassador. An award-winning advisor with experience across 42 countries, she contributes insight on luxury hospitality trends, ecotourism, and sustainable destination growth.
• Judy Mason (United Kingdom) – Widely known as “The Travel Lady,” Mason is a multi-award-winning UK specialist in tailor-made luxury travel. Her knowledge of high-end family and premium itineraries strengthens St. Kitts’ positioning in the European market.
• Josanne Rogers-Shepherd (Caribbean) – Founder of Mrs Dude Travels, specializing in Caribbean logistics, group travel, and destination planning. A strong advocate for sustainable tourism, she brings region-specific insight into traveler behavior and itinerary design.

By formally integrating frontline expertise into destination planning, the St. Kitts Travel Advisor Board signals a new era of trade-centric collaboration—one that positions St. Kitts to not only meet current market demands, but to anticipate and shape the future expectations of the global travel advisor community and their most discerning clients.