Recently, the World Food Travel Association expanded its prestigious ambassador network by naming Dr. Gerald Kock as its official, certified representative on the island of Aruba, in the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean.
Association Names New Ambassador on Aruba
15 April 2025
World Food Travel Association Names New Ambassador on Aruba
Dr. Gerald (Gino) Kock is an accomplished alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), graduating in 1987. With over 15 years of diverse experience in the hotel, restaurant, airline, and healthcare industries across Aruba, St. Maarten, the Netherlands, and the United States, he has demonstrated exceptional versatility and expertise.
Transitioning into education, Dr. Kock played a pivotal role in implementing the American Culinary Federation’s Apprenticeship Program at Aruba’s community college, Colegio EPI, where he also served as Dean of Student Affairs.
In 2004, Dr. Kock graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality and Business Management from Stenden University, Netherlands. He furthered his academic journey by earning a Doctorate in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2013 from the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Dr. Kock has presented at numerous hospitality, tourism, and ethnomusicological conferences, aiming to bridge tourism with the creative industry by integrating musical culture and tourism on small islands. His project "Chanita ta di Fiesta," which fosters sustainable connections between tourists and small farmers, earned him the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Enterprises in 2012.
He has published five articles in prominent journals, including the Journal of Heritage Tourism and the International Journal of Hospitality Management. Recently, he chaired Aruba's SDG-Indicators Working Group (SDG-IWG).
From 2021 to 2024, he served as an advisor to the Minister of Economic Affairs, Communication, and Sustainable Development and is currently Policy Advisor at the Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry in Aruba.
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