Bermudian hotelier and developer John Jefferis has been voted the Premier Hotelier of the Year by the International Caribbean World Awards.

The only other previous recipients of the award were Butch Stewart from Jamaica and Professor Kevin Morley from Barbados, according to a press release, which describes the awards as the Oscars of the Caribbean.

The awards are voted on by the readers of Caribbean World Magazine, and recognise excellence in travel, tourism and hospitality throughout the region.

Mr Jefferis, who developed and owns Coco Reef in Bermuda, stated: “I am exceedingly honoured to have been voted the Premier Hotelier of the Year at the International Caribbean World Awards.

“I am living my dream of developing and owning hotels in the Caribbean. My success is due in part to the incredible teams at my hotels, whose professionalism, hospitality and efficiency have ensured that guests from all over the world have the time of their lives when they stay with us.”

Previous awards won by Mr Jefferis include Bermuda Hotel Association’s first Bermuda Hotelier of the Year in 1989; The Caribbean Hotel Association’s Caribbean Hotelier of the Year in 1991; EY’s Caribbean Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2000; Caribbean World’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Tourism and Travel in 2008; and International Caribbean Life’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014.

Last year, he celebrated 50 years in the hospitality industry and was inducted by the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association into the Tourism Hall of Fame.

Jefferis is a past president of the Bermuda Hotel Association and a past member of the Bermuda Government’s Tourism Board and Marketing Committee.