An aviation giant was lauded by the US Virgin Islands for his huge contribution to the regional airline, travel and hospitality industry.

The invaluable contribution of retiring airline industry veteran, Peter Dolara of American Airlines (AA), to the development of tourism across the territory and the region has been officially recognized by the leadership of the US Virgin Islands.

Governor John P. de Jongh Jr. thanked Mr. Dolara, American Airlines’ Senior Vice President for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, for his commitment to the hospitality industry in the US Virgin Islands for decades, as well as for his personal affection for the island of St. Croix.

“We wanted to personally thank you for all that you have done,” said Governor de Jongh who presented the airline veteran with a USVI-branded token of appreciation at AA’s Miami Headquarters on Monday.

The Governor, and Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty, updated the American Airlines executive on tourism development plans across the territory as well as efforts to sharpen the skills of industry stakeholders through training and customer service initiatives.

They briefed Mr. Dolara on capital development projects to boost the tourism appeal of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, as well as efforts to stimulate future jobs and economic development activity with the closing of the HOVENSA oil refinery.

Commissioner Nicholson-Doty recalled Mr. Dolara’s personal commitment to the territory and the wider Caribbean region. “Mr. Dolara saw the potential of the region as well as the contributions of territories like the USVI before many others and acted on it,” she asserted.

“Fortunately for us Mr. Dolara is a powerful and charismatic executive who was able to take the lead in laying down the aviation foundations of the Caribbean,” she added, “and all of us in the territory and the region owe him a debt of gratitude.”