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The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter offers travel, tourism, Caribbean and global news weekly. To share stories, information or intelligence, contact us at info@marketplaceexcellence.com.

Oct. 26, 2026

A quarter century of the Caribbean Media Exchange

For 25 years, the Caribbean Media Exchange has championed a powerful idea: Tourism’s success should be measured by how much it improves the lives of Caribbean people.

The groundwork for that vision was laid in 1994, when the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Barbados, identified sustainable tourism as a key development tool. At the time, tourism was still too often dismissed as a luxury for wealthy visitors from North America and Europe, with limited benefits for host communities.

In 2001, Bevan Springer launched the Caribbean Media Exchange for Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), inspired by the vision of Allen Chastanet, then senior vice president of Air Jamaica, to reframe tourism’s role in Caribbean development. The initiative received immediate support from Counterpart International, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism and industry leaders including Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Frank Rainieri, Sir Royston Hopkin, Lelei LeLaulu, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Terestella González Denton, Ralph Taylor, Heinz Simonitsch and Berthia Parle.

CMEx created a neutral platform where journalists, government officials, business leaders, nongovernmental organizations, community representatives and industry experts could explore how sustainable tourism could strengthen economies, protect the environment and expand opportunity.

It challenged perceptions of tourism as low-status work with limited career prospects, scant economic benefits and colonial overtones. It encouraged journalists to move tourism coverage beyond lifestyle pages and into business and economic reporting, while drawing a vital distinction between service and servility.

Its symposiums presented tourism as a powerful means of transferring wealth from richer to poorer nations, reducing poverty and building peace through human connection. Airlines were recast as aerial highways, bringing visitors to the Caribbean while connecting the region’s goods and services to global markets.

Environmental discussions emphasized both the ethical responsibility and the economic value of protecting coral reefs, coastal waters and biodiversity — the natural assets on which tourism and Caribbean communities depend.

Education and training were central to that mission. CMEx encouraged young people to see tourism as a first-choice career, opening their eyes to opportunities across the industry and the many sectors it supports.

Through its leadership awards and fundraisers, CMEx has continued to recognize tourism and media talent and support the development of the next generation.

A quarter century later, the challenge is to turn greater understanding into wider opportunity: more pathways for young people, stronger local businesses, healthier environments and a greater share of tourism’s benefits reaching Caribbean communities.

That is the promise CMEx carries into its next chapter — building on tourism’s contributions to Caribbean prosperity and expanding pathways for the people whose talent, warmth and ingenuity make the region extraordinary.

CMEx honoree Carmen Portela champions community tourism

Carmen Portela

Carmen N. Portela has spent more than 25 years connecting tourism, conservation and local economic opportunity, helping communities shape tourism and share in its benefits.

The Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) honoree founded Local Guest, a social enterprise through which she co-created more than 30 community-based tourism experiences with entrepreneurs, artists and environmental organizations in Puerto Rico. These experiences brought residents’ knowledge and creativity into the tourism economy while connecting visitors with local communities.

As executive director of Fundación Amigos de El Yunque, the official nonprofit partner of El Yunque National Forest, Portela led educational, cultural and community programs linking conservation with economic opportunity.

She also advanced the Community Interface Resource Management Area, known as CIRMA. Formalized through a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service and partner organizations, the initiative established a framework for shared stewardship and participatory planning across eastern Puerto Rico.

Portela later developed Local Guest Collective, a consultancy connecting tourism, conservation and local economic development. Recent assignments include an alternative tourism supply chain analysis for El Yunque National Forest and El Toro Scenic Byway with Cornell University and the U.S. Forest Service.

Her work also includes the Circular Food Waste Management in Caribbean Tourism project, partnering with GIZ, Huffnagle Ventures, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

Today, Portela serves as justice and equity coordinator at GreenLatinos, supporting community-led environmental initiatives and equitable access to resources and opportunities for historically underserved communities across the United States, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

Throughout her career, she has remained focused on helping residents shape the decisions affecting their communities and their futures.

The 2026 CMEx Leadership Awards and Fundraiser is powered by platinum sponsor the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, with gold sponsors the Anguilla Tourist Board, Caribbean Tourism Organization, Carnival Corporation and Tropical Shipping.

Major sponsors include the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission, Marketplace Excellence Corporation, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.

Additional sponsors supporting the cause include Coco Palm (St. Lucia), Comfort Suites Paradise Island (Bahamas), Fond Doux Eco Resort (St. Lucia), Jade Mountain (St. Lucia), Ladera Resort (St. Lucia), Mount Cinnamon Beach & Wellness Resort (Grenada), Grupo Puntacana (The Westin Puntacana Resort), Round Hill Hotel and Villas (Jamaica), Secret Bay (Dominica), The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Tortuga Rum Company, Tropical Attractions and Vanessa James Media.

Proceeds support educational programs, youth development initiatives and professional training designed to empower the next generation of Caribbean tourism and media leaders.

For more details, visit cmexmedia.org.

Port Everglades’ Joseph Morris talks leadership and cruise growth

Joseph Morris, CEO and port director of Port Everglades, recently joined Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) President Adam Ceserano for a conversation about leadership, partnerships and the future of cruise tourism.

In the latest FCCA Leadership Series episode, Morris reflects on his career journey and leadership philosophy, discusses evolving industry trends and outlines Port Everglades’ growth plans.

Watch the episode for his perspective on leading a major cruise port and preparing for the opportunities ahead.

Quotable Caribbean

“We aim for growth that spreads the benefits of tourism throughout our communities and growth that allows visitors to experience St. Vincent and the Grenadines without destroying the qualities that brought them here in the first place. That balance means everything to us and we aim to maintain it as we grow.” — Dr. Godwin Friday, Prime Minister, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

“It’s not enough to communicate where you’re going. You have to give people a reason to believe in it.” — Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International

In case you missed it ...

For this week’s Caribbean Tourism Authority highlights, see the stories below:

Anguilla strengthens UK luxury travel partnerships at Virtuoso On Tour London

Belize Tourism Board welcomes new Discover Airlines service from Frankfurt

Destinations take center stage at FCCA Cruise Conference in Puerto Rico

Medical Moment

World Stroke Day, coordinated by the World Stroke Organization and observed annually on Oct. 29, raises awareness of stroke prevention, warning signs and the importance of immediate treatment.

Stroke remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide, including in the Caribbean. The 2026 theme, “Every M1nute Counts,” emphasizes a lifesaving message: Recognize the signs and act quickly.

Remember to BE FAST if you suspect someone is having a stroke:

• B — Balance: Is the person suddenly dizzy, unsteady or having trouble walking?
• E — Eyes: Is there sudden blurred vision or loss of sight?
• F — Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• A — Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S — Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or difficult to understand?
• T — Time: If you notice any of these signs, call your local emergency number immediately — even if the symptoms disappear. Note when symptoms first appeared.



Every minute matters. Recognizing the signs and seeking immediate medical attention can save lives and reduce long-term disability.



Marketplace Excellence Corporation is a global public relations, marketing and media company.