The presentation ceremony was attended by the State Secretary of Tourism, Enrique Ramos Flores; President of the Association of Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay, Jorge Hernandez Villanueva, and leaders and prominent personalities of the city.
An engineer by profession but hotelier by nature, Carothers relocated to Puerto Vallarta in 1968 from Guadalajara and purchased Hotel Playa Los Arcos. Through years of hard work he laid the foundation for the tourist destination that Puerto Vallarta is today.
Carothers also led the expansion and renovation of the Dolphin Hotel, which today is known as the San Marino Hotel.
At the event, the Secretary of Tourism spoke about his personal relationship with Carothers as they visited travel agencies together door-to-door to encourage travel to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. He noted it was more than just a job for Carothers, it was a way of life and passion.
“Enrique Carothers Barreto receives this public recognition because he represents a great example to succeed and overcome difficult times. He is without doubt one of the great contemporary characters in the tourism industry, is a model citizen, creates jobs, pioneer, loyal, is a unifying factor among entrepreneurs, people and government. Today Vallarta needs to learn from Carothers ability to work in teams,” said Mayor Ramon Guerrero Martinez.