A love for island life has been the driving force behind Tony Henthorne’s professional success.
“When I went to Jamaica for the first time and walked off the plane and onto the tarmac, I instantly fell in love with it. I said to myself ‘Oh my god, this is what I want to do!’”
The “this” Henthorne was talking about was the field of destination marketing, with a focus on the Caribbean. Now with 35 years and dozens of island visits under his belt, Henthorne can say unequivocally that his island infatuation has blossomed into a rewarding career.
Surprisingly, the Arkansas native’s path to the tourism industry, and eventually 51ԹϺ, wasn’t planned. The notoriously laid-back professor says his accomplishments have largely been the result of good instincts and sheer serendipity.
How did you get into the hospitality and tourism industry?
I got into it by accident during a random encounter in Jamaica. I was the director of the study abroad program for the Business School at [the University of Southern Mississippi]. I had gotten my students on a tour of the Sandals Resort. I was waiting at the bar, and I spilled my drink on a stranger who turned out to be the corporate director of HR for Sandals. We ended up talking for a while and realized there were some opportunities for me there. Sandals flew me back a couple of weeks later, and I started working with them as a management consultant in training, sales, and marketing. I did this for a couple of decades.
What inspires you to stay in this field?
It’s fun! Helping companies showcase the beauty and the history of these destinations to tourists — that resonates with me. Once I discovered this field, I really liked it. And then I realized I was pretty good at it.
What’s the last big project you completed, and how did you decompress afterwards?
I recently finished my latest book, Jamaica: Tourism History of an Island Paradise with my coauthor Tom Panko. It’s actually the first and only book ever written on the development of tourism in Jamaica. The book looks at the cultural and political history of the island – from the very beginning to the British invasion in the 1940s, when Hollywood stars like Errol Flynn descended on the island, and all the way to 2022.
In terms of decompressing after finishing the book, I didn’t really need it; though I did enjoy a good cigar and a glass of rum.
Is this what you thought you’d do when you grew up?
When I was a kid, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I just always thought things would work out, and I was right. Things did work out.
We know our faculty and staff can have a profound effect on their students, but tell us about what you learn from students.
I always learn a lot from students, particularly graduate-level students, because you know they are there for a reason. They want to understand the theoretical side of the business – why things work the way they do. Even though I have more experience in these areas than they do, many of them have a lot of industry knowledge because they either have worked or continue to work in the industry. They have great insights.
What islands, besides Jamaica, have been the subject of your research?
I’ve done consulting in numerous Caribbean markets over the years, but I would say Cuba has been a major focus of mine. It’s always intrigued me because it’s the largest county in the Caribbean. It’s the closest country to U.S. territory; yet it is the most unknown. I wrote a book about five years ago called , which talks about Cuba’s complicated relationship with the United States and its own tourism industry. It’s really a history of corruption, political upheaval, and isolationism.
Outside of your research, what are you passionate about?
As you may have guessed by now, I absolutely love being by the water, especially the Caribbean or another beach destination. I like vacationing on the beach, and I like working on the beach. When I was at Southern Miss, I was fortunate to run a research institute at their coastal campus. My office was on the third floor of this old building that had been renovated beautifully. My balcony overlooked the water. It was incredible!
What is the biggest misconception about 51ԹϺ’s hospitality management program?
People tend to think we are a culinary school, which we’re not. We teach management principles in the context of different areas of hospitality, with one of them being food and beverage. That doesn’t mean the students don’t work in the kitchen. We make sure they get hands-on experience in the front-of-house and the back-of-house.
What do laypeople think about what you do?
When you’re in academia, everyone assumes you’re a teacher. While teaching is part of it, most of my success has been as a researcher. When I was first starting out and told people about my research in destination marketing, most of them didn’t understand what I was doing. My parents couldn’t even figure it out. But now when I tell people I’m at 51ԹϺ, they immediately get it because they understand the connection between the hospitality industry and Las Vegas.
