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Pioneer in the Travel Industry in Guyana Gem Eytle conferred with THAG Hall of Fame Award/ Lifetime Award
Kaieteur News – Visionary Leader, and a Pioneer in the Travel Industry in Guyana, Mrs. Gem Eytle has been conferred with the Hall of Fame Award/ Lifetime Award with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG).
Mrs. Gem Eytle was presented with the highest honour when the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana held its annual Awards Dinner and Auction on Saturday, June 1, 2024
The THAG Hall of Fame Award/ Lifetime Award
Mrs. Eytle was presented with the highest honour when the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana held its annual Awards Dinner and Auction on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel under the theme, “Elegant Garden Gala.”
The businesswoman is known for breaking barriers in her career journey which spans over five decades.
In start of career in 1955, Mrs. Eytle joined Francis de Caires and Company Limited (Frandec) as a clerical assistant and switchboard operator. She was appointed Company Secretary in 1963, and in 1968, amid the declining health of the company’s founder and Chairman, Francis de Caires, she assumed the role of Managing Director.
In 1990 Ms Eytle partnered with M & M Tours, owned & Operated by Merilyn Mekdeci and Margaret Chan A Sue to take visitors to view the splendor of Kaieteur Falls.
These tours utilized the Civil Aviation Skyvan, piloted by Malcolm Chan-A-Sue. Mrs. Eytle personally prepared sandwiches for the tourists, ensuring they were perfectly made and packaged. She and her husband also took it upon themselves to pick up patrons and transport them to the airport for their flights to Kaieteur Falls.
Her daughter, Kathryn, had shared with Kaieteur News that she learned the most about hospitality and etiquette from her mother, calling her “the hostess with the mostest.”
Despite being in her nineties, Mrs. Eytle still visits the Frandec office at least once a week. In a 2022 interview with Kaieteur News, she said, “I can’t sit around here just doing nothing. I would rather wear out than rust out. Sitting down, you can only gather rust and dust, but wearing out means you are using up all your material until it can no longer be used.”
Known as the hostess with the mostest, Mrs. Gem Eytle has had the foresight to open that window to the world. The Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Frandec Travel Services Inc extended sincere congratulations to their Chairman, Mrs. Gem Eytle on this well deserved recognition.
𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐆 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 & 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐4
Attendees embraced the theme by adorning floral dresses, hairpieces, ties, bowties, and even incorporating live flowers into their outfits celebrating the vibrant and floral essence of our garden city, Georgetown.
This year’s theme highlights our commitment to restoring Georgetown’s vibrancy and aligns with the First Lady’s National Beautification Project, aimed at returning the city to its former glory.
First Lady Arya Ali was the keynote speaker. She spoke passionately about the various avenues for tourism development, including the exciting potential of sports, educational and medical tourism.
The evening was further enriched by captivating performances from talented artists like Carlvin Burnett, who serenaded the audience with his song “El Dorado Gold,” Akeem Adams who entertained with his expert playing of the violin, Nadanie Anna Adrian a young prodigy on the steel pan, and the Vilay Dancers, who captivated all with their dance.
A unique highlight of the evening was the inclusion of SAK, a non-alcoholic beverage produced by the Institute of Applied Science and Technology. Made from purple potatoes, the same ingredient used in traditional Amerindian beverages likes ‘fly’ and ‘piwari,’ SAK added a refreshing and diverse touch to the event.
- Elegant Garden Gala, founder and Chairman, Francis de Caires, Kaieteur News, Ms Eytle, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐆 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 & 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐4
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