Michael Youngman, Former CTO And American Airlines Executive, Passes Away

Youngman created the first pan-Caribbean marketing initiative.

Michael Youngman, former executive with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and American Airlines who created the first pan-Caribbean marketing initiative, passed away on Aug. 13. He was 84. 

Youngman spearheaded the Caribbean’s $12 million 1993 marketing campaign that drew funding from 28 countries, hotels, airlines, cruise lines and tour operators. The 60-second commercials were designed to create awareness of multiple destinations and showcase the region’s diversity beyond sun and sand. The commercials were a hit and remembered for their use of the Beach Boys’ song “Kokomo.”

The combined funding method and success made the structure of the marketing campaign something others followed, include the state of Florida. He was also an early proponent of encouraging the industry to focus on the environmental impact of tourism as a judge for Islands Magazine’s Eco-Achievers awards, started in 1991, to give exposure to tourism related businesses that were supportive of environmentally positive projects.

In the book “Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean,” Youngman said, “The Caribbean has always had a problem because except for a few places it is not well known, and the truth is it’s more than just a few places.”

Prior to his tenure with CTO from 1989 until 2002, he headed marketing for American Airlines in their Atlantic division during a period of expansion in Europe to new destinations, and their Caribbean network through the San Juan hub. He was also a recipient of the CTO’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Michael was a visionary in marketing the Caribbean, and was a leader in bringing the Caribbean’s diverse nations and territories together through the CTO and combined with the private sector to increase awareness and travel to the destination through cooperation marketing,” said Daniel Wade, co-Publisher of Travel Market Report. “Michael was goal oriented, and saw the opportunity for good marketing to drive increased tourism. He also deeply understood the importance of tourism revenue across the Caribbean, and how revenue for tourism could improve the quality of life for the peoples of the Caribbean, and was an early proponent of sustainability in tourism development and operations.”