Veteran hotelier Louis Grant, who passed on Sunday, has been hailed as an ambassador for Jamaica and a “true embodiment of the spirit of hospitality” which has made the Caribbean famous.

Grant had retired some years ago, after more than 60 years in the tourism industry, 25 of which were spent with the Sandals chain holding leadership roles in both Jamaica and St Lucia.

“We are all extremely saddened by the news of Mr Grant’s passing,” Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said in a statement.

“He had a deep passion for hospitality and more so for Sandals. He will always be remembered as a general manager ahead of his time. During his tenure, ‘LG’, as we fondly referred to him, was synonymous with the excellence for which Sandals Dunn’s River, where he was the general manager for decades, was known,” added Stewart.

“He was a true company stalwart and friend of the Sandals family to the very last day. We will treasure the wonderful memories and take some comfort knowing that he joins my late dad for a heavenly round of dominoes,” Stewart said in acknowledgement of the close bond that his father and Sandals founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart, who died on January 4, 2021, shared with Grant.

Describing Grant as “an icon in every sense of the word”, Stewart noted that Grant had been invested with the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican Government for his contribution to tourism and community development.

“His work ethic over the years has been evidence of his unwavering passion for the hospitality industry — a passion rivalled only by his love for automobiles,” Stewart said.

“In crafting the careers of many successful leaders in the industry, he has inspired a generation to follow in his footsteps and we are proud to say he has played a key role in helping to position Sandals at the forefront of the global hospitality marketplace,” Stewart added and expressed condolence to Grant’s wife, Debbie, and family.

In 2007 Grant was named Hotelier of the Year by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA). The citation proclaiming the award said he was “outstanding in operational management, food and beverage management, and marketing”.

He began his career in tourism as a bar cashier at Tower Isle Hotel (now Couples Ocho Rios) in the 1950s. When he left the hotel 11 years later he was a payroll bar inventory clerk.

He worked with the Jamaica Tourist Board in its Chicago office for many years and on his return to Jamaica went into hotel management.

He joined Sandals as general manager of its Montego Bay property, then moved to Sandals Dunn’s River Golf Resort and Spa as general manager.

In 1993 he was transferred to Sandals St Lucia to open the resort there and the following year returned to Sandals Dunn’s River as general manager.

In 2018 the JHTA presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.