Tourism Legends Awards: Waltrude Patrick

During its 2025 Annual General Meeting on Friday, March 28th 2025 the SLHTA awarded Waltrude Partrick with a Tourism Legends Award, in appreciation of her many years of dedicated service, devotion and commitment to the hospitality and tourism industry.

Ms. Patrick as she is affectionately called started her career in 1981 at the Islander hotel (the present site of the Baywalk Mall).

She worked closely with the owner Greg Glace to establish business with local, regional and International Partners. With no HR department as it was in those days, she was responsible for recruiting, training, and cross training of her team members. The hotel revolved around her. After over a decade at the Islander Hotel, she transitioned to Glencastle Hotel where she redefined and boosted revenue strategies tailoring offerings to clients preferences.

In 2002, she joined Bay Gardens Inn, formerly Palm Tree Hotel as the General Manager and led this hotel to win the “ Best Small Hotel Award in the Caribbean” in 2006. During her 15-year tenure her responsibilities were expanded to include managing The Bay Gardens Hotel where she oversaw the management of dual properties despite logistical complexities.

When a Chef resigned abruptly, she personally filled in as the Chef cooking for the guests . She initiated the “ Pack for a Cause” program in partnership with Ramblers, a UK based walking holiday group to donate school supplies to the Monchy Primary school, a program that exists to date.

In 2017 she was appointed the General Manager of the Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa until her retirement in January 2024.

The Covid 19 Pandemic tested her resilience. With most team members furloughed, she lived at Bay Gardens Hotel for 2 years, collaborating with the security teams to safeguard the property.

Retirement marked the culmination of her formal roles but her influence persists today through mentorship . Her CSR philosophy: “Tourism must nourish the community it serves” blended philanthropy with operational excellence.

At Bay Gardens, through the Adopt -a-School program in the community of Monchy, she introduced one on one agricultural training for students. Partnering with local farmers, the students learned sustainable farming practices with the produce sold to hotels – a farm to table model that reduced costs and supported agriculture.

The Staff Emergency Fund established in 2010, addressed systemic gaps in employee welfare. She has been honored with several Awards and Accolades including the Professional Achievement Award from the Ministry of Tourism and the St. Lucia Tourist Board the Resilient Leadership Award in 2022 from the Directors of Bay Gardens Resorts.