Excitement across the Caribbean and Americas travel & tourism industry is mounting this week as Jamaica’s Sandals Royal Caribbean Private Island gears up to play host to the fifth and final leg of the World Travel Awards regional tour on October 19th. This important event follows heats in Dubai, UAE; Antalya, Turkey; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; and Bangkok, Thailand. Regional winners will progress to the Grand Final which will take place in December. The Caribbean & Americas ceremony is set to attract the top decision-makers and thought-leaders from across the Caribbean and North, South and Central America as they compete for the most influential accolades in travel. Jumeirah Essex House, Mandarin Oriental Miami, The Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows and The St. Regis Hotel New York are among the iconic properties competing for the coveted title of “North America’s Leading Hotel” at a VIP World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony in Montego Bay on October 19th, 2011. Another key category to watch at the WTA 2011 Caribbean & the Americas Gala Ceremony is “North America’s Leading Destination”, with Las Vegas, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Montreal and Vancouver among the hot contenders. Nominees for “North America’s Leading Airline” include Delta Airlines, Air Canada, United Airlines, North American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Commenting on the significance of playing host to the Awards programme, which rewards organisations that have made the largest contribution to the travel and tourism industry over the past year, Adam Stewart, CEO, Sandals Resorts International, commented: “Hosting the World Travel Awards, an event accurately labelled the ‘Oscars of the Travel Industry’, is a tremendous honour and we are thrilled to be able to play our part in it." He added: “Aside from that, it keeps our resorts on the world stage and enables us to show off a little bit too!” Sandals has won numerous World Travel Awards since the programme was first set up including World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company and Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand. Stewart added: “Our Chairman and my father Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart instilled an ethos into our company from day one and it remains as true today as it did then: to give people more than they expect. “The role that travel industry professionals have played in the growth of our company and its continued success is remarkable. Simply put, we wouldn’t be where we are today without them.” World Travel Awards president Graham Cooke underlined the importance of travel and tourism in steering the Americas and the Caribbean through the global uncertainty. “Travel and tourism across the Americas and the Caribbean has demonstrated remarkable resilience, given the challenges being faced globally. “This is testament to tourism’s role as the catalyst for economic growth with the power to steer the region out of one of the most challenging periods in global financial history.” He added: “Our nominees represent those organizations that have made the greatest contribution to the performance of the Americas and the Caribbean, and I look forward to finding out which ones will make it on to the winner’s podium on October 19th.” The event partners are Sandals Resorts, BBC World News and WeClickMedia, while media partners include National Geographic Traveller, eTurboNews, Focus on Travel News, Breaking Travel News, JaxFax and Travel Daily News.