North America
Jacqueline Held – Regional Manager
North America
“The island vibe, its people, culture, food and its total feel. I live where everyone wants to vacation.”
Jacqueline Held oversees the development and implementation of sales and branding efforts for the CTB within the North American market. In her role she is responsible for growth in tourism arrivals, management of the region’s team and provision of (statistical) management information.
Keenly qualified for the role, Held has worked within the island’s tourism space since 2008 when she began her career at Floris Suite Hotel. Since then, she has worked at various hotels in Curaçao across departments including reservations, convention services, events, sales and marketing and most recently, as general manager at Blue Bay Hotel and Services. Prior to that she was Director of Sales & Marketing at Baoase Luxury Resort.
While she was born and raised in the Netherlands, her grandfather comes from Curacao. She has been living on the island for more than 15 years and calls Curaçao her true home.
Contact details:
E-mail: jheld@curacao.com
Phone: +599 9 461-8200
Kadesha Salome – Trade Coordinator
North America
It’s never a dull moment in Curaçao! There is always somewhere to go or something new to discover
Kadesha Jordan- Salomé is a Curaçao native residing in Florida who joined the North America team in 2017. As a trade coordinator, she is responsible for the administration & coordination of sales & trade activities in the United States and Canada. In collaboration with the rest of the team, she ensures that Curaçao is well-represented at consumer and trade events.
She worked part-time for the Curaçao Tourist Board as a survey taker at the airport while attending college. Interacting with the departing visitors and listening to their experiences, how they enjoyed their time on the island, the food, and the culture is what sparked her interest in tourism. She is very grateful for the opportunity to be part of CTB’s team again and enjoys sharing information about the Curaçao with others.
Contact details:
E-mail: ksalome@curacao.com
Phone: (929) 222-2872 ext 1001
Sheila Botton – Trade Representative Curaçao – Canada Region
North America
My deep connection to Curaçao has fueled my journey for years.
In 2008, Sheila Botton embarked on her first journey from Montreal to Curaçao, and it was truly love at first sight – a coup de cœur, as they say in French. With a professional background in art direction as well as sales and marketing, Sheila was drawn to the island by an opportunity to serve as art director for a local tourist magazine. Over time, her role expanded to include editor-in-chief and sales representative, culminating in her becoming the proud owner of Events Curaçao in 2014.
“My deep connection to Curaçao has fueled my journey for years. Out of passion, I’ve taken on many roles, from promoter and representative to influencer and advisor, all with the goal of sharing the island’s beauty and spirit with as many people as possible. Today, I’m truly honored to expand that mission as the Canadian Business Development Manager for the Curaçao Tourist Board, dedicated to putting Curaçao firmly on the map for Canadian travelers.”
Contact details:
E-mail: sbotton@curacao.com
Maura Zhang – Mice Representative Curaçao via Synergy Connect
North America
“The authenticity, diversity and the nature of the destination! In Curaçao, I feel that I can really get immersed in the environment, the culture and experience its true essence like a local.’”
Maura Domínguez-Zhang is a Caribbean born travel industry leader with 25 years experience in companies such as The Ritz-Carlton, Kimpton, Biltmore, Noble House & Benchmark, where she earned Chairman’s Club, Platinum Club, Attitude & Determination Awards.
Maura is co-founder and managing partner at Synergy-Connect, currently representing the Curaçao Tourist Board in the North American market, among other destinations. Maura has a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Florida Int’l University, has earned both CIS & CITP, is past President of SITE FL & Caribbean and speaker at SITE Global Conferences.
She is also a Positive Impact ambassador for sustainability, health and wellness in events and moonlights as a certified yoga instructor. She resides in sunny South Florida with her husband and fur baby and loves to share her passions of travel and wellness with her industry, family and friends.
Contact details:
E-mail: maura@synergy-connect