On the heels of Bonaire appointing its new Director of Tourism, Miles Mercera, Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB) now announces the addition of Dr. Robertico R. Croes as its Tourism Strategist & Advisor.
Dr. Croes, a Professor and the Associate Dean who also currently serves as the Director of the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, will bring over 40 years of tourism and foreign affairs experience to the role.
“It’s an exciting time to contribute to the tourism strategy for Bonaire as the island looks to not only recover, but to also renew its positioning as a destination,” said Croes. “I’m honored to be able to lend my expertise to help lead Bonaire and its economy in a positive direction as it gains awareness in new segments.”
His extensive background includes publishing four books about tourism management in warm-water island destinations, tourism and poverty reduction, the challenges facing small island destinations, and the application of demand models to a small economy.
Croes will publish his fifth book, Small Island and Small Destination Tourism, in December 2021.
Additionally, he has contributed to many more books, has issued over 130 published works, emitted more than 30 industry reports, and made presentations on these topics throughout the world, Croes has also consulted in numerous countries including Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Grenada, Italy, and the United States.
Since receiving his doctorate from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, Croes has published countless articles in a variety of tourism journals and served on the editorial board of four. Croes is the recipient of the 2015 and 2018 Thea Sinclair Award, the 2015 UCF Research Incentive Award (RIA), 2015 Best Graduate Student Research Paper, presented at the 32nd International Association of Hospitality Financial Management Education Research Symposium. New York University, N.Y., November 7, 2015, and several other awards.
