MIAMI, WILLEMSTAD – Muryad de Bruin, Managing Director of the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), has been named one of the 2025 honorees of the prestigious Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Awards, placing Curaçao prominently on the regional stage of tourism leadership and innovation.
The awards ceremony will take place in Miami on December 6, bringing together leading figures from across the Caribbean, the Diaspora, and global tourism and business sectors. The event recognizes individuals whose leadership continues to shape the future of Caribbean tourism, culture, and economic development.
De Bruin’s recognition highlights Curaçao’s evolving tourism strategy, which in recent years has focused on sustainable growth, destination branding, airlift expansion, and strengthening the island’s position in both traditional and emerging markets. Under his leadership, CTB has emphasized balancing visitor growth with community impact while reinforcing Curaçao’s identity as a diverse, high-quality destination.
The CMEx Leadership Awards committee described this year’s group of honorees as leaders who “embody the spirit of innovation, service, and transformational impact across the Caribbean.” De Bruin is recognized alongside top tourism executives and policymakers from Aruba, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and beyond.
The ceremony will be anchored by the presentation of the inaugural CMEx Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Baltron Bethel of The Bahamas, a towering figure in regional tourism development. The event is expected to draw an influential audience of ministers, tourism directors, industry executives, and cultural leaders, underscoring its importance within the Caribbean tourism ecosystem.
For Curaçao, de Bruin’s selection represents international acknowledgment of the island’s strategic role in regional tourism and reinforces CTB’s position within Caribbean and global tourism networks. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and visibility at a time when competition and collaboration within the region are both intensifying.
Proceeds from the CMEx Leadership Awards support education, youth development, and professional training initiatives aimed at building the next generation of Caribbean tourism and media leaders.
With de Bruin among the honorees, Curaçao will be prominently represented at one of the region’s most influential tourism gatherings of the year.