Karolin Troubetzkoy (Executive Director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resorts) was recently featured in Executive Magazine as one of the “Trailblazing Women Changing the Luxury Travel Landscape.”
It’s a phenomenal feat for Troubetzkoy, who has been spearheading the marketing and day-to-day operations of the award-winning resorts since 1986, with Jade Mountain added in 2004, when the pre-opening marketing phase began.
From 1985 – 1986, Troubetzkoy was a consultant for the Organization of American States, and in that capacity, produced tourism feasibility studies for the tourism marketing of Pigeon Island, the Maria Islands, Sulphur Springs and also a marketing brief for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board.
From March 2010 to January 2016, she served as the President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA). She oversaw the development of a broad social media platform for the SLHTA and was instrumental in the successful implementation of a hotel booking engine for SLHTA and the relaunch of La Belle Helene Magazine.
In 2013, Troubetzkoy was able to gain support from the hotel sector to found the Saint Lucia Tourism Enhancement Fund (a voluntary contribution system of US $2 per visitor per room night), which enjoys a high compliance rate among Saint Lucia hotels. Troubetzkoy served as chairperson of the Tourism Enhancement Fund for several years, most recently from March 2016 to December 2018 and remains actively involved to this day.
Troubetzkoy also served as a Director of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and as the Chairperson of the Tourist Board Marketing Committee for many years. She has been an active member of the marketing committees of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board for the past 20 years and has been a Saint Lucia Tourist board member from 2007-2009 and again from 2010-2016.
She was the 1st Vice President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) from 2014-2016. She chaired the CHTA Advocacy Committee for the region from 2012-2014. In 2014, Troubetzkoy re-energised CAST (Caribbean Alliance of Sustainable Tourism) and served first as Chairperson, then as deputy chair of this CHTA initiative.
Troubetzkoy was appointed President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) in January 2016 for the term 2016-2018, with her presidency coming to an end in June 2018. She subsequently served as CHTA’s Immediate Past President until Oct 2020. She was only the second woman to serve as President in CHTA’s 50+ year history.
During her tenure as Vice President and President of the CHTA, several hurricanes affected the Caribbean. Troubetzkoy initiated and was instrumental in the fund-raising efforts of the CHTA on several occasions: In 2015, over US$35,000 were raised for Dominica after Hurricane Erica, which allowed a school to be rebuilt. After Hurricane Matthew in 2016, over US$55,000 were raised for Haiti and the Bahamas.
In the aftermath of two hurricanes (in 2017), there was a lack of communication available to both potential visitors to the region and the travel and tourism trade community. On her own initiative and making use of her own funds and available manpower, she created a website called Caribbean Travel Update within 48 hours and personally maintained and updated this website for over seven months, to ensure that accurate and up to date news could reach visitors and travel professionals alike, with the goal to correct the misperception that the entire Caribbean had been affected by the hurricanes.
She also brought to life the One Caribbean Family initiative- encouraging tourism businesses in the Caribbean not affected by the hurricanes to donate a small percentage of their new bookings (often displaced bookings from affected islands) to the initiative which eventually raised over 1/4 Million US Dollars directly, via Tourism Cares, the organization chosen by CHTA to handle and disburse the funds. In addition, the One Caribbean Family initiative encouraged and stimulated other organizations with business links to the region to play their own role in assisting the islands, raising easily another one Million Dollars.
On a personal level, Troubetzkoy collaborated with GIZ and the German Embassy to bring relief to the island of Dominica after Hurricane Maria. Making her personal time and also personal funds available in addition to funds from the German Embassy, several boatloads of relief items could be sent to Dominica.
As President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, she also served as the co-chair of CTDC (Caribbean Tourism Development Company). The purpose of this private–public tourism sector collaboration was to promote Caribbean tourism more effectively and sustainably by showcasing the region’s rich diversity and promoting better and increased airlift, enhancing product development and product offerings through skills training and linkages to arts and crafts, music, cuisine and culture. Regrettably, this private-public sector initiative, whilst critical to the future success of Caribbean tourism, has yet to reach its full potential.
When her CHTA Presidency came to an end, Troubetzkoy agreed to take on the role of Chairperson of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation and, in this position, continued fundraising in the industry to make available scholarships and training opportunities.
In July 2018, she was re-elected as President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) and served until April 2021.
In January 2019, she was appointed Envoy to the Caribbean Challenge Initiative to bring awareness and build up the resilience of the marine and coastal resources in the Caribbean. In July 2020, she accepted the Chairmanship of the Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund and, in this capacity, has joined the board of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund. In April 2022, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of GLISPA (Global Island Partnership), a voluntary and inclusive partnership of island champions – countries and organizations – who inspire and support each other to take action and produce results for island communities. In September 2022, the board of directors of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund elected Troubetzkoy as their new chairperson.
She is the Honourary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Saint Lucia and is a citizen of Saint Lucia. On May 24, 2019, the Federal Republic of Germany bestowed on Karolin the Order of Merit to acknowledge her work as Honourary Consul and her volunteer leadership in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean to advocate for operating in a sustainable environment, building resilience and mitigating effects of climate change.
In December 2002, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association bestowed on Troubetzkoy the coveted Crystal Award for services to the hotel industry. She was the recipient of the Saint Lucia Hotelier of the Year Award in 2006. In 2012, Troubetzkoy received the prestigious Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award from the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, as one of only a handful of female recipients in the awards’ long history. In 2023, Troubetzkoy together with her husband Nick, were honoured with the CHRIS (Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit) Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality industry over their lifetime through their actions, deeds and accomplishments.
Karolin Troubetzkoy holds a degree in business administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Munich, with majors in tourism marketing and hotel and restaurant management. Her educational background is complemented by a certificate in Destination Stewardship Management from George Washington University, acquired in 2023. She speaks four languages: German, French, English and Italian.
Building on her belief (shared and practiced by her husband since the property beginnings) that as much economic benefit as possible must be kept in the community, Troubetzkoy, over the past 30 years, built up a network of seamstresses and craftsmen to hand-make all of Anse Chastanet’s furniture, soft furnishings and also table line and bathrobes.
She has worked closely with local craftsmen and artists to develop unique Saint Lucia art and Troubetzkoy instigated an “Art in the Hotel” programme in 1985, long before this became a trend in the hotel industry. Over the past 35 years, local and international artists have collaborated in creating the eclectic art collection at Anse Chastanet, including local wood carvings and acrylic paintings by famous international artists such as Elvira Bach and Stefan Szczesny.
By inviting international artists to live and work at the resort for up to four weeks, she was able to foster a dynamic creative exchange between local and international artists. To international artists, the exchange of art against accommodation provided new inspiration by virtue of the scenic tropical environment. Together with her husband, Nick, the Troubetzkoys have sponsored local charities and sports events, too numerous to be mentioned.
In 1989, Troubetzkoy recognized the desire by guests to be able to assist in her local charity work and created a guest charity account. Since then, these funds have enabled her to expand her charitable work further, especially in the area of child education and care.
In the early 90s, they started an “adopt a farmer” programme, and continue to the extent possible to purchase as much produce locally as possible. Her resorts’ commitment to the community is expressed simply as “Buy Local, Promote Local, Celebrate Local”. In addition, the Troubetzkoys also run an organic farm and make their own chocolate under the label Emerald Estate.
As Honourary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany, Troubetzkoy secured funding for a new school cantina and kitchen for the Bouton School near Soufriere and recently funded and opened a carpentry facility for the Soufriere Comprehensive School. Another project was the rehabilitation of the Library in the Banse La Grace School. She is currently involved in a project to revive handicrafts in the Soufriere region.
Following the 2021 volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent, Troubetzkoy spearheaded a critical initiative to support disaster relief efforts. With significant financial contributions from herself and further support from her resorts, she organised the procurement and shipment of essential baby items, including cribs, for 50 pregnant women affected by the disaster. The success of this initiative captured the attention of the Saint Lucia Tourism Enhancement Fund, which then joined the effort, coordinating a second round of support to extend aid to additional pregnant women in need.
Troubetzkoy is a dedicated Patron of the Saint Lucia Cerebral Palsy Foundation. In her role, she spearheads impactful fundraising initiatives and contributes significant personal donations aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals with physical vulnerabilities. Her efforts have facilitated vital construction projects that improve living environments, making them more accessible and suited for those requiring special care. Each year, under her patronage, families affected by cerebral palsy receive special Christmas grocery vouchers, bringing joy and support to the community during the festive season. – Info (excerpt) via karolintroubetzkoy.com