Amid the annual industry gathering of Caribbean Week New York, held at the InterContinental New York Times Square in June 2026, a landmark moment unfolded for Caribbean tourism: the first-ever induction ceremony for the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Hall of Fame, launched this year to honor trailblazing women who have reshaped the region’s travel sector. Among the small, elite group of inaugural inductees is Petra Roach, a seasoned Barbadian tourism executive with more than two and a half decades of experience shaping regional travel growth.
The new CTO Hall of Fame was created specifically to spotlight women whose visionary leadership, innovative approaches, and long-standing contributions have advanced Caribbean tourism and driven broader socioeconomic progress across the island nations. Roach shares the inaugural honor with five other industry standouts: Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain; Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands; Valérie Damaseau, Commissioner of Tourism & Culture for Saint-Martin; Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis; and Beverly Nicholson-Doty, CEO of Figment Design. Each inductee has left an indelible mark on the sector through consistent commitment to industry excellence.
In her remarks following the induction, Roach emphasized that the recognition is not solely a personal achievement, but a reflection of the community that has supported her throughout her career. “This recognition is deeply meaningful because it reflects the many mentors, colleagues, partners, and teams who have been part of my journey,” Roach said. “Tourism has the power to transform economies and improve lives, and I am grateful to have contributed to the growth and success of our region.”
Roach’s reputation as one of the Caribbean’s most respected tourism leaders has been built across a series of high-impact leadership roles. As former CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, she steered the destination to a period of unprecedented, record-breaking growth and elevated its global profile, drawing increased international visitor arrivals and industry acclaim. Before that, she held multiple senior leadership positions across Barbados’ domestic tourism sector, including Vice President for the United Kingdom market, Head of Global Markets, and Interim CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority.
This latest honor adds to a growing list of recognitions of Roach’s impact: in 2024, she made history as the first recipient of CTO’s Director of Tourism of the Year award, a milestone that further cemented her reputation as a leader defined by strategic vision, creative problem-solving, and tangible, measurable results for the regions she has served.
Today, Roach holds the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort & Spa, where she continues to bring her expertise to one of the island’s flagship hospitality properties. Beyond her day-to-day role, she remains a vocal advocate for advancing industry standards, nurturing the next generation of tourism leaders, and strengthening cross-regional collaboration to elevate Caribbean tourism as a whole. The CTO Hall of Fame induction cements her legacy as a foundational figure in the modern development of the region’s most vital economic sector.