6 January 2021
Jamaica minister of tourism,
Edmund Bartlett, has led a series of heartfelt tributes to Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, founder of Sandals Resorts International, who died earlier this week.
Stewart died in the United States at the age of 79 after a short illness.
Bartlett expressed his deep sadness at the passing and said: “Butch was truly an icon and innovator, philanthropist and perhaps the greatest marketer tourism has ever seen.
“Sandals is indeed the largest and most enduring brand created by a Caribbean entrepreneur in tourism and arguably the world today and the standard by which luxury all-inclusive is judged.
“I hail him as a father, leader, benefactor, and the greatest tourism entrepreneur of our time.
Gordon “Butch” Stewart- Photo Credit: Getty Images
Caribbean tourism mogul and founder of Sandals Resorts International, Gordon “Butch” Stewart dies at a hospital in the USA. He was 79 years old. His son Adam Stewart who is currently the Deputy Chair of the Sandals and ATL group, announced his father’s death, saying he was recently diagnosed with an illness but did not disclose the cause of his death.
Gordon Stewart was born in Kingston, Jamaica leaving his wife Cheryl and seven children. He formed his own business, Appliance Traders Limited (ATL) in 1968, which specialized in the importation and sale of air-conditioning units, water coolers, stoves and other appliances.