Webinar: Water Parks Spotlight: The Caribbean
September 21, 2023
1-2 p.m. EDT
Join Alex Ojeda, Travel Attractions & Experiences, Ambassador at Royal Caribbean International as he explores water parks in the Caribbean. Diving into an extraordinary adventure through the sun-soaked paradise while discovering the hidden gems of these captivating parks, we will explore their breathtaking attractions. Then, gain invaluable insights from General Manager Melissa Lockwood and Rafael Suarez, who have redefined the industry with their world-class operations in the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago. Get ready for an unforgettable webinar experience that will leave you craving for more Caribbean thrills!
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about water parks in the Caribbean
- Discover what makes a water park unique
- Explore the challenges of opening a new water park
Attendees are eligible to earn one continuing education unit (1 CEU) towards IAAPA recertification. For more information about IAAPA Certifications, please contact Alissa DeMeglio
Speakers
Alex Ojeda
Alex Ojeda, known as @AlexOjeda, is a prominent Mexican-American short-form video creator renowned for his captivating content centered around the world's most exhilarating attractions and experiences. With an audience of over 11 million followers across various social media platforms, Alex has established himself as a prominent influencer/content creator in the attractions industry.
Specializing in crafting engaging content focused on cruise and water park tourism, Alex holds prestigious positions as an official Global Creator Ambassador at Royal Caribbean International and #CasaTikTok, the official Latin creator community of TikTok. Beyond his role as a creator, Alex also lends his expertise as an industry consultant through Alex Ojeda Media. His consultancy empowers water parks and attractions to effectively manage their content creation and cultivate a strong social media presence.
Alex is a fervent advocate for the attractions, cruise, and water park industries, having garnered an astonishing 1 billion views on his YouTube channel alone through his dedicated promotion of water parks and attractions in 2022.
His influence extends to various industry conferences, where he has shared his insights and expertise. Notable speaking engagements include VidCon Anaheim, SeaTrade Cruise Global, IAAPA Latin America water park week, the World Water Park Association symposium and trade show, as well as IAAPA's Caribbean water park spotlight.
Melissa Lockwood
Melissa Lockwood is the General Manager of Baha Bay, located in Nassau, Bahamas, which opened in July 2021. Prior to joining Baha Mar, she spent 7 years with Miral Experiences in Abu Dhabi, where she was on the pre-opening team at Yas Waterworld and worked at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in both operations and guest services. Her experience also includes working in parks and recreation for several municipalities in Texas and Missouri. She has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences and is on the World Water park Association Board of Directors. She is an IAAPA Certified Attractions Executive and a NRPA Certified Parks and Recreation Executive. Lockwood holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Missouri and a master’s of science from the University of North Texas.
Rafael Suarez Igartua
Rafael is original from Puerto Rico, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science with concentration in Biology from the university of the Sacred Heart in Santurce, PR. Rafi as we know him, has 35 years of experience in all aspect of the Development and Operations of facilities to include: Water Parks (indoor & outdoor), Amusement Parks, Zoo’s and Resorts in the US, the Philippines and Trinidad & Tobago where he is currently the General Manager for Five Islands Water & Amusement Park.
