CARIBBEAN: Patricia Affonso-Dass President Caribbean Hotel And Tourism Association On Region’s Tourism

President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Patricia Affonso-Dass, has expressed optimism about the future of the region’s tourism sector, saying that its rich past and many successes have served the region well.

In her New Year’s message Affonso-Dass said the sector’s attainment has provided a sound foundation for the future.

Looking ahead, I have a real sense of optimism about our opportunities if we learn from the past, stay clearly focused on the future and appreciate the critical importance of reinventing and improving our businesses, our processes and our people, she said.

We must be nimble, adaptable and innovative in this era of constant change.

Affonso-Dass said 2018 was a reminder about how resilient our people and our industry are, as a number of the region’s destinations and hotels bounced back from unparalleled destruction in 2017, rebuilding smarter, better and sometimes bigger.

We got a peek into the future as over 5,000 new hotels rooms came online regionally in 2018 with over 25,000 more in the construction and planning stages, she said, noting that existing hotels continue to invest in refurbishments and introducing new services and amenities.

The CHTA head said the region witnessed an unprecedented surge in new airlift into the region in 2019, presenting more opportunities to entice travelers to our shores.

She said investor and government confidence in the Caribbean tourism’s future was further buoyed, as hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on upgraded and expanded airport facilities.

But Affonso-Dass said the region’s glass is half full” asking: Are we pouring or drinking? How do we continually adapt in an era of accelerated change when technology, competition, consumer expectations, economic and political uncertainty and climate change challenge us?

She noted that these are all external factors over which she said the region has little sway.

The abundance of opportunity lies within ourselves, Affonso-Dass said. Through our companies, destination DMOs or Destination Marketing Organization, National Hotel and Tourism Associations, and regional stakeholder groups like CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization, owners, operators, government partners, and individuals have an even greater capacity to positively and collectively impact tourism’s future and our bottom lines.

How willing are we to give back in order to get back? she asked. Are we as individuals and companies taking ownership in our industry by being engaged and supportive beyond the day-to-day challenges of operating our businesses?

It is amazing what can be achieved through a commitment to cooperation, collaboration, open communication and mutual respect,” she added. “We have all of the necessary elements in our communities, businesses, governments and destinations to excel and to lead as the world’s most desirable tourism region.

Let us, in 2019, commit to recognizing and developing talent wherever we see it; to critically assessing our processes in both the public and private sectors to make sure that they facilitate more than restrict; to using all means possible to inform and educate our people about the value and importance of tourism to our region and the critical role that they play in its success; and most importantly, to doing whatever we can to engender a greater sense of pride and care in our people, our environment and our region as a whole, Affonso-Dass continued.

There is great power in the collective, she said. As tourism stakeholders, let’s work to better harness this.


Tourism Observer

Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Wants Trump Government To Address Tourism Issues

President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association(CHTA) Karolin Troubetzkoy says the Caribbean must ensure issues of critical socioeconomic importance are firmly addressed with the US Congress and the incoming administration.

Troubetzkoy made the comment during her presentation on the impact on the tourism industry of de-risking and correspondent-banking relationships at the just ended 40th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America in Miami, produced by the Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA) organization.

Underscoring the common interests between the Caribbean and the United States and the critical importance of tourism to the region’s socioeconomic development and stability, Troubetzkoy called for a new focus by the region’s governments and private sector in support of recent legislation aimed at strengthening United States relations with Caribbean countries.

CHTA has joined CCAA in urging the US Senate to adopt the US-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 (H R 4939), which has already received bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, and just this week moved out of Senate Committee for consideration now by the full Senate.

H R 4939, introduced by Congressman Eliot L Engel with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen would require the US Secretary of State and the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to submit to Congress a multi-year strategy focused on enhancing engagement with the countries of the Caribbean.

The draft legislation, which emphasises energy security, countering violence, expanded diplomacy, engagement with the private sector, and other priority areas, sets the stage for a new US- Caribbean relationship, declared Troubetzkoy, who met with Congressman Engel during the conference.

Before Congress adjourns, CHTA is supporting the outreach by CCAA to the US Senate to advance passage of the legislation in the Senate.

Troubetzkoy also recalled a key US policy which underscored the special relationship between the United States and its Caribbean neighbors: “We must also not forget the Third Border Initiative and our envoys must convey to the new administration that the Caribbean’s success is in the strategic interest of the United States of America.”

“We spend a great deal of time focusing on challenges and opportunities in faraway places. But it’s important that we never lose sight of our interests closer to home. Indeed, we should be working to strengthen our ties with countries in the Caribbean. That’s the aim of this bill, which would prioritise US -Caribbean relations for years to come, “ said Engel, who also addressed the need to pay more attention to the Caribbean in a recent editorial published in The Miami Herald.

Speaking on a panel on “Tourism, Trade and the Unintended Consequences of De-Risking”, Troubetzkoy called for continued action on priority areas such as “de-risking” or “de-banking,” in which large US banks, sensitive to fraud and money-laundering allegations, end their business connections with smaller banks in other regions like the Caribbean.

De-risking threatens the Caribbean region’s smaller banking sector , which operates in jurisdictions that host overseas banking facilities. For many hotels and tourism-related businesses in the region, there are limited banking options in their destinations.

Troubetzkoy asserted the Caribbean is suffering more than others from de-risking, as trade is affected directly. Tourism is the largest income generator in the region, and she urged the sector to be more alert to the threat.

“The Caribbean tourism industry must pay close attention to the very serious effects the withdrawal of correspondent banks would have on our industry,” said Troubetzkoy, adding that these long-standing banking relationships are vitally important to the region’s survival. “If the industry is disrupted and we are unable to interact with overseas buyers and clients, the consequences will be dire.”

The annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America tackles issues that affect the region’s economic growth and competitiveness.

According to CCAA, the hotel and tourism industry is on the front line, and the ability to do business-as-usual in a competitive global market is critically important.

CUBA: Caribbean Hotel And Tourism Association Members Meet With Cuban Tourism Officials

The President of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), Karolin Troubetzkoy, joined by several members of CHTA's executive committee and prominent regional hoteliers, visited Cuba for meetings with Cuban and international officials during the UNWTO and FITCuba events held in Havana earlier this month.

Troubetzkoy applauded Cuba's Minister of Tourism Manual Marrero Cruz, on his opening remarks for the FITCuba event, where he indicated that tourism is a key economic sector critical to Cuba's socioeconomic development.

Marrero cited the range of tourism-related investments that are planned and the need for companies operating in Cuba to consistently provide quality services and authentic experiences while diversifying the tourism product, redefining Cuba's marketing efforts, and reaching out to new markets.

Among the CHTA group's meetings was one with Cuba's Vice Minister of Tourism, Luis Miguel Diaz Sanchez, who expressed a strong desire to see the region cooperate in building a stronger Caribbean brand.

"The Caribbean is one of the few remaining tourist regions where it is possible to develop tourism in a sustainable manner and to do this we must work together, in order to promote one Caribbean brand that is cheerful, festive and that will integrate us as part of the culture that we share, finding benefit in the arrival of tourists from around the world," said Diza in a written release. "The best option is to do this together."

Troubetzkoy noted that the Cuban representatives expressed a desire to establish a Cuban hotel and tourism association and requested models from around the region to assist in developing the best organization for Cuba.

The CHTA representatives and Cuban tourism leaders agreed that there is much to learn and gain by working together and will follow up on several priority items discussed during their meetings. They also agreed that there are many investment, trade and collaboration opportunities for Caribbean hoteliers and investors in Cuba, and will look at ways to develop this.

"The region has tremendous untapped potential to grow and develop tourism to the greater benefit of its people, Governments, and tourism stakeholders. To do this effectively will require an unprecedented level of commitment by the regions public and private sector leaders," said Troubetzkoy. "In that regard, our delegation left Cuba encouraged by the destination's focus and leadership."

ANTIGUA: Antigua To Replicate CHTA Conference

The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority will replicate one of the biggest travel conferences in the region come May 2016.

Speaking with the media, following the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace event, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Collin James said the body is aiming to capitalise on key opportunities that will attract more visitors to the destination.

“What we did in Nassau, which was the largest marketing tourism conference for the region for tourism, we are going to replicate just for Antigua & Barbuda during the month of May – the last week in May.”

The authority is inviting all tour operators from Europe, the USA, Canada, and the region to come to Antigua & Barbuda.

“Every hotel who is here, whether you are part of any association or you have a property here, you will be given the opportunity to have a face-to-face interaction with those tour operators so that you can get your property in their programmes; you can get your properties sold and more importantly you can expose those tour operators to the product on Antigua & Barbuda,” James said.

BAHAMAS: Bahamas PM Emphasizes Importance Of Tourism Sector To Region Development

The annual Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Market place is under way here with Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie underscoring the importance of the tourism sector to the socio-economic development of the Caribbean.

Christie addressing the three-day event, said that tourism as a direct contribution to Caribbean gross domestic product (GDP) was three per cent in 2015 compared to the worldwide average of 3.7 per cent.

He said the sector as a total contribution to Caribbean GDP rose by 2.9 per cent last year and is expected to increase by 3.3 per cent of GDP per annum each year over the next decade, against the worldwide average of 3.8 per cent.

He said in the region, total capital investment in tourism grew by 4.2 per cent in 2015, as compared to the worldwide average of 4.8 per cent.

“All of this suggests that while we are holding our own in tourism in the Caribbean, we must do much better if we are to meet the needs and expectations of Caribbean citizens over the next decade and that we must be intent on giving prioritized focus to those drivers of our economies that will leverage our tourism assets for continued and accelerated growth in the years to come.”

Christie said he welcomed the move by the United States to re-open diplomatic relations with Cuba and to work toward completely lifting the trade embargo.

“With the US trade embargo eliminated, Cuba will enter the Caribbean arena as a heavy weight contender for the region’s share of the tourism trade. Among Cuba’s many attractions is her novelty and human beings are naturally attracted to what is new.

“But let’s keep in mind that there is an upside to stiff competition. Competition motivates us to reach deep within and bring out qualities that we are unaware that we possess. All nations seek to strengthen their economic position through collaboration with neighbouring countries.

“Cuba is no exception. Already, several of our destinations have entered into agreements with Cuba to do joint tourism marketing and to create multiple destination packages,” Christie said, noting “for us in the Caribbean, it is no longer business as usual.

“We are at that juncture in our development as tourism dependent nations where the name of our region must become synonymous, bar none, with world class, impeccable service, value for money, top rate accommodations and wonderfully memorable vacation experiences.

“The upside is that today’s global economic landscape continues to provide opportunities for each of the Caribbean’s tourism destinations, even as our governments seek to mitigate challenges such as infrastructure development, energy security, technological advancement, citizen security and climate change that impact tourism development.”

Christie said that the three-day event here has attracted participation from Latin America and other global emerging markets which are well poised to tap into mainstream and niche tourism and hospitality products available throughout the Caribbean region.

But he said he was perturbed at the increase in “random, wanton acts of terrorism in areas around the globe that are highly frequented by tourists.

“The constant threat of terrorism creates a psychology of anxiety. It is our earnest hope that peace would soon be restored to those regions. In selecting the Caribbean for their clients’ next holiday, travel professionals the world over can have peace of mind that our region is one of calm and stability.

“The Caribbean is a region full of tropical dream vacation destinations that persons around the world desire to visit at least once in a lifetime. There are enough island gems in our region for the traveller to collect one, two or three each year for decades to come.

“While we are proud of our product offering we are also acutely aware that tourism is the world’s largest industry and that global competition for the traveller is fierce,” Christie added.

Prime Minister Christie said an area of growing concern, however, to the tourism industry stakeholders, and which is also gaining his attention, is the increasingly high cost of taxes and fees on air travel to and within the region.

He said air-related taxes and fees for travel to the Caribbean can represent over half of the cost of an airline ticket for a number of destinations.

“Arguments have been presented by the private sector which contend that by reducing the cost of air travel, primarily through tax and fee reductions, we will stimulate more travel to the Caribbean and government revenues will be protected and even enhanced through an increase in visitor arrivals.

“There is some evidence that this would be the case. When the United Kingdom reduced the air passenger duty, travel increased. Here in The Bahamas, when we adjusted some of our fees to the airlines, some of the airlift we lost which was attributed to the fees returned. We’ve seen examples throughout the region of how air and cruise travel has been stimulated when the cost of travel is reduced.”

But Christie said that at the same time with greatly reduced fuel costs on the world market and the use of more fuel efficient aircraft, “it is only reasonable to expect the benefit of these cost reductions to be passed on to the travelling public, thereby stimulating additional travel and leaving the tourist with more money to spend within the destination, and giving the region a better competitive edge.

“The cruise lines provide ample evidence to us about how price stimulates travel and how occupancy rates can be increased with pricing strategies,” he said, adding “most cruises to the Caribbean are operating at, or near, 100 per cent occupancy.

“Compare that to our hotels which are operating at between 65 and 70 per cent occupancy, and you see the tremendous growth opportunity which already exist without a single additional investment in new hotels.

“Raising occupancy rates by ten percent would go a long way in increasing employment and tax revenues. Concomitant with such an initiative thought must be the thrust toward employee training for sustained improvements in service delivery.

“This is but one way that we can improve tourism performance and accelerate the rate of growth of our economies beyond international forecasts.

“Growing tourism performance to beat the odds means that we will be forced to innovate and to push the boundaries of our knowledge, abilities and capacities to enable us to declare our tourism industry as “cutting edge” as we seek to remain both individually and regionally competitive in an arena which will continue to power not only our economies but the global economy over the next decade,” Christie added.

First Caribbean Tourism And Hospitality Guide For Investors To Be Launched This Week

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), in association with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), has produced the first Caribbean Tourism and Hospitality Investment Guide targeted at international investors.

The publication showcases a wide range of investment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector in CTO member states and lists incentives that Caribbean Governments are offering to attract new business.

The Investment Guide focuses on the performance of the region’s tourism and hospitality sector and Caribbean economies. It also highlights increased airlift to the region and new investments in the industry – a reflection of investor confidence in the region.

“Ours is an attractive and desirable destination with a strong, competitive advantage due to our natural resources and authentic experiences,” CTO Chairman Richard Sealy, Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport, said. “Investing in the Caribbean makes good business sense. We know it and we are proud to produce a guide that illustrates it.”

CHTA President Emil Lee urged investors to use the document to learn about the “incredible opportunities” which can be realized from investing in the Caribbean and noted that despite its growing pains, the Caribbean tourism industry continues to expand and diversify. “Public-private initiatives at the regional and destination levels are actively addressing those issues which are important to the industry globally . . . lowering utility costs, improving the visitor experience, holding the line on taxes, incentivizing investments, and maximizing productivity through investments in our people.” he commented.

The publication was produced by marketing, communications and investment promotion specialist, Sandra Ann Baptiste, who was the first head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO INVEST).

It will be distributed at the 2015 Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) which takes place in Puerto Rico November 12 and 13, and at CTO’s Caribbean Week in Canada business events next week.

The guide is one of the deliverables of the New York-based CTO USA Inc. office headed by Sylma Brown.

PUERTO RICO: Adam Stewart Named Caribbean Hotelier Of The Year

Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resort International (SRI) Adam Stewart copped the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award which was presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

The presentation was made during the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF), which took place from October 2 – 4 at El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico.

Stewart is the 35th recipient of the award and is the highest professional honor bestowed in hotel and resort operations in the Caribbean.

The award recognizes excellence in all areas of operations, as well as a commitment to the training and development of staff, contributions to the community and a demonstrated commitment to sound environmental practices. It also acknowledges each recipient's active role in both national and regional issues affecting Caribbean tourism.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Disagree On Impact Of Cuba On V.I. Tourism

The thawing of relations between the United States and Cuba was the topic Monday at a hearing of the Senate's Economic Development, Agriculture and Planning Committee, and opinions varied about what should or could be done to protect the territory's tourism and revenue.

"There is considerable concern among Caribbean tourism officials that the re-opening of Cuba will have a disruptive impact on our economies," said Bernadette V.M. Melendez, the director of the Bureau of Economic Research. "The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association said that the biggest and most disruptive pebble to be dropped into the Caribbean pool in 50 years will arrive with the opening of travel to Cuba for United States citizens," she said.

However, Sen. Tregenza Roach said Cuba isn't the issue; the issue might be that the region has become too dependent on tourist dollars.

"Maybe Cuba gives us the opportunity to think about, are we too dependent on tourism? Are we too dependent on tourism because we believe we have nothing else? Those are questions that I think we need to ask," he said.

Testifiers representing tourism, economic and government agencies suggested that the Virgin Islands needs to prepare for increased competition for travelers as Cuba changes, but the territory also may benefit from the opening of another Caribbean destination.

"We must plan for it and mold it to our benefit," said Sen. Janette Millin Young, the chairwoman of the committee. She said she hoped the hearing would begin a much-needed dialogue on the impact of normalized relations between the United States and Cuba.

"Now is the time to assess our position, to plan, and then to act," she said.

Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty said, "There is a curiosity about Cuba, having been off-limits for half a century, and it should be anticipated that there will be some initial impact on visitor arrivals."

What benefits the territory, she said, are things that won't change, including that no passport is required to come to the territory from other parts of the United States.

"The fact that English is our primary language means that there are no communications barriers. Americans can be comfortable exploring our islands," Nicholson-Doty said. "Our most serious challenge may be our own arrogance and complacency," she said.

The territory needs to make changes to keep attracting tourists and to keep them returning, Nicholson-Doty said.

She and others said the islands need infrastructure improvements at the airports and seaports; newer hotels are needed, and safety and security remains a key factor for visitor travel.

"If a place isn't considered safe to live, it will certainly raise concerns as a destination," Nicholson-Doty said.

She also said people here must want to welcome visitors.

Sen. Nereida Rivera-O'Reilly took a different tack, saying the Virgin Islands "really are a speck in comparison to the size of Cuba and all that it has to offer, and

"Cuba didn't just open its doors to tourists," Rivera-O'Reilly said. "It has been accommodating tourists from other countries for a long time. So they're not new at this. At the end of the day, if we had stayed on top of our game, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

Shelly Moorhead, the special advisor to the governor for external affairs, said: "The office of the governor sees this as an opportunity to better our relationship with the Cuban government and to strengthen the socio-economic, cultural and historical ties between our two peoples, and to also examine the potential for trade relations."

But economic stress can come from areas other than tourism, he said.

"One area of concern to me, with the opening of the Cuban markets and the relatively low cost of labor there, is the impact this will have upon the territory's rum industry," he said. "Multinational rum companies, spirit manufacturers, distilleries and breweries in the region and around the world will be looking for partnerships in Cuba, and this can potentially upset the industry and affect markets."