GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- As part of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB) Caribbean Tourism Day/Month awareness campaign, Kenrick Housen, is a young tourism professional working at Carl’s Unique Inn in Cole Bay, as Manager and Marketing & Sales Manager.
Carl’s Unique Inn is a family run business that opened in 1996. Housen says he has worked his way up the ladder within the family business which included helping with the cleaning of rooms and also working at the Front Desk.
Housen studied at the Florida Metropolitan University in Orlando. There he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Marketing.
Kenrick says tourism is an exciting field to work in, and it’s difficult to become bored because the daily experiences are all different: “For example, we encounter tourist’s everyday on the island, by just sharing information and exchanging stories, it’s always a delightful experience knowing you’ve helped put a smile on someone’s face for the day.”
Kenrick Housen says his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing people enjoying the island, its hotels, restaurants, clubs, and everything the destination has to offer. “Tourism starts at home and if we don’t enjoy our lives, it’s almost impossible to help someone else enjoy theirs.”
For young person’s thinking about pursuing a career in the tourism and hospitality sector; Kenrick advises not only to think about working in hotels as a job in the tourism sector, but to also look at the other vast opportunities that the sector offers.
Some examples he gives are, island/hotel marketing, technology, statistics, research and development, transportation, and immigration. “I truly believe everything is connected to our tourism sector in the end,” Housen points out.
“St. Maarten is one of many beautiful destinations in this world, but what can set us apart from anywhere else are the experiences we provide..., and if we don’t come together to take care of our product (island) and plan for the future, the experiences we offer will suffer. I would urge us all including government to not let this happen,” Kenrick Housen, a young professional in tourism concluded.
This profile is one out of eight as part of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau Caribbean Tourism Month awareness campaign.
