Carrole A.M. Guntley

Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Administration '75
Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica

Carrole Anne Marie Guntley, a leading Caribbean tourism professional with multi-sectoral experience and proficiency in the tourism industry, has established an international reputation for innovation and leadership in the field.  Her thirty-six year professional career has been spent entirely in tourism, working in key areas such as the hotel sector, Jamaica's National Tourism Organization (NTO) and the airline industry.

As Director of Tourism, Ms. Guntley has been credited with establishing Jamaica's tourism on a growth path after a period of decline in the local industry.   It was during her tenure that Jamaica achieved the landmark target of hosting one million visitors in a single year and, earned the reputation in the marketplace as being an all-year-round destination.  She also launched the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), Jamaica’s first and only sustained travel trade show.

Throughout her professional career, she has been the recipient of several awards for her work in tourism marketing including the Prime Minister’s Proclamation of Appreciation for her service to Jamaica’s tourism industry, awarded in 1995. In 2003, she received the prestigious National Honour of Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for her invaluable contribution to the development of her country’s tourism industry.  In 2011, the Bureau of Women’s Affairs awarded Ms. Guntley the Jamaica 50 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism.