Keynote Speaker and Agenda Set for the 15th Annual Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC) May 10-12, 2011 in Montego Bay, Jamaica / April 2011

THE CARIBBEAN (April 11, 2011) - The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, will deliver the keynote address, themed "Tourism Investments...Key to Caribbean Growth," during the opening ceremony of the 15th Annual Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC), taking place May 10-12 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Minister Bartlett will also participate in the general session titled "Caribbean Ministers of Tourism Forum" on May 12, where he and fellow ministers will share their visions of investment in the region and how governments are encouraging expansion in the region.

"With Jamaica undergoing a renaissance with recent investment into the country's tourism infrastructure, including the addition of the state-of-the-art Montego Bay Convention Centre, Minister Bartlett's address to CHTIC delegates will set the tone for the conference with examples of investment opportunities that have helped Jamaica's overall growth," said Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHTA.

The CHTIC opening ceremony, which takes place at 6:30 pm at the five-star Iberostar Resort All Suites on May 10, will also include welcome remarks by CHTA President Josef Forstmayr, who will touch on the importance of investment in the Caribbean to help maintain the economic stability of the region for years to come.

CHTA has released the program for CHTIC which includes general sessions focusing on The Caribbean Now and the Future: Tourism is Key; The Hospitality Leaders' Forum and The Caribbean Ministers of Tourism Forum. A day-by-day breakdown of the CHTIC program, which can be accessed online via http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-chtic/event-CHTIC-program.php, is as follows:

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Opening of the 15th Annual Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference

7:30pm - 9:00pm

Opening Reception - Sponsored by Iberostar Rose Hall Beach & Spa Resort

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
7:30 am - 8:30 am

Sponsors Exhibit & Coffee Break

8:30 am - 10 am

General Session 1: The Caribbean Now And The Future: Tourism Is Key - According to the Oxford Economics report which CHTA commissioned together with the World Travel and Tourism Council in May 2010, the 'travel & tourism economy' in 2009 accounted for 12.8% of the region's GDP, 11.3% of employment (that's 1.9 million jobs) 21.7% of investment in the region and 15.6% of exports. This general session will set the tone for our program with vital industry forecasts by experts in global travel & tourism, the financial sector and the airline industry.

10:50 am - 11:50 am

General Session 2: The Hospitality Leader's Forum - The Caribbean tourism industry has not been exempt from the global recession and airlift continues to provide its share of challenges to the region. CHTIC will gather tourism leaders representing the various sectors of the Caribbean tourism industry as they discuss and present their visions and strategies for the Caribbean.

12 noon - 1:00 pm

General Session 3: Understanding The Economics And Profitability Of All-Inclusive Resorts - The demand for an all-inclusive vacation experience is on the rise and is a very hot topic across the industry. Developers and existing owners are weighing the pros and cons of offering an all-inclusive option. Panelists will provide insight on amenities that should be featured in an all-inclusive product as well pitfalls to avoid in the all-inclusive market.

1:10 pm - 2:30 pm

Bill Bissell Lifetime Achievement Award and Networking Luncheon sponsored by Jamaica

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

General Session 4: Gaming and Casinos -Gaming in the Caribbean has been approached by some destinations as a profitable addition to the local tourism product, however, there are many Caribbean countries that are only starting to visualize the additional benefits that gaming and casinos can provide to their destination. Join our panel to discuss the pros and cons of casinos in the Caribbean.

4 pm - 5 pm

Speed Networking Session between delegates

5 pm - 6:30 pm

Networking Reception - Sponsored by Interval International

Thursday, May 12, 2011
8 am - 8:45 am

Sponsors Exhibit

9 am - 10 am

General Session 5: The Caribbean Ministers Of Tourism Forum - In this exclusive CHTIC session, Caribbean ministers of tourism will share their vision of investment opportunities in the region and what governments are doing to encourage expansion into the region.

10 am - 10:30 am

Networking Break and Sponsors Exhibit

10:35 am - 11:35 am

General Session 6: Build Or Buy - Determining the Best Investment Strategy in Today's Marketplace - Caribbean tourism is growing and the region's inventory must increase in order to meet the expected demand. With the current economic climate, one must choose between acquiring existing projects or starting a new development. Our panel will discuss the benefits, challenges and provide samples of what works in the region.

11:45 - 1:15 pm

Networking Lunch - Sponsored by Jamaica

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

General Session 7: Arrivals and Survival Strategies - The Changing Face of Distribution - The easy part is opening the doors of your property. The tough part is making sure travelers hear about your property, book their vacations with you and return for future stays. Our panelists will provide tips for putting heads in the beds and learning to navigate the distribution channels for the travel industry.

2:45 - 3:45 pm

General Session 8: Shared Ownership - Applications and Opportunities for a Revitalized Caribbean Tourism Product - Industry experts will discuss shared ownership options for the Caribbean region.

7 pm

Closing Dinner - Sponsored by JAMPRO

The registration fee for CHTA-member hotels and government officials is $450 per person, CHTA allied members are $875 per person and non-member fees are $975 per person.

Sponsorship opportunities starting at US$8,000 are available for those seeking to elevate their presence at this prestigious event. Sponsors will be highlighted throughout the entire conference, as well as in CHTA's marketing and public relations activities leading up to and following the event. The Sponsors' Exhibit will also afford direct contact with representatives of sponsoring companies and will be open throughout the conference.

CHTIC sponsors currently confirmed include host sponsors Jamaica, Jamaica Hotel & Tourism Association, JAMPRO and Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort and Spa; Patron Sponsors: FirstCaribbean International and Interval International;Platinum Sponsors: KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopersand World Travel Group; Gold Sponsors: ARDA, Best Western International, Hill International, MacLellan & Associates and MacLellan International Brokers, Tourism Development Company LTD and Tourism Intelligence International; Platinum MediaSponsors: HotelNewsNow.com and STR; Silver Media Sponsors: ARDA Development, Caribbean Construction Magazine, Developments, and Lodging Hospitality; and Supporting Media Sponsor: CaribBest.com.

Building on the momentum achieved in recent years with a growing interest in Caribbean tourism development, CHTIC is staged by two not-for-profit organizations - CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). CHTA represents the regional hotel and tourism associations and CTO is the public sector tourism body which represents the countries of the region. All funds from the conference are being reinvested in the region for the benefit of the Caribbean tourism industry. CHTIC was founded by CHTA and CTO in 1997 with the specific objectives of improving the tourism investment and operating climate in the Caribbean, raising awareness of development opportunities and stimulating a continuing flow of equity and loan capital into the region.

For more information on CHTIC 2011 - including sponsorship opportunities - please contact CHTA at 305-443-3040, e-mail [email protected] or visit http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-chtic/event-chtic-about.php.

About The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) facilitates the full potential of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry by serving members' needs and building partnerships in a socially responsible and sustainable manner. CHTA was founded in 1962; it is the voice of the Caribbean hospitality industry for the development of the region in the highly competitive and sophisticated environment of international tourism. Today, tourism is widely recognized as a pivotal industry in the economy of the region - and CHTA functions as the common denominator for this industry in a region of diverse nationalities, languages and styles, identifying mutual problems and marshalling the resources of the active and allied members to devise solutions. CHTA represents all facets of the hospitality industry with more than 725 member hotels and 525 allied members.

For more information, visit http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com. Follow CHTA on Facebook www.Facebook.com/CaribbeanHotelandTourismAssociation and Twitter www.Twitter.com/CHTAFeeds.

Also See:	Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Adds Two New Conferences for 2011 with Events Scheduled in Barbados and St. Lucia for June and October / April 2011
	Recap Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference: Robert Crandall, Former CEO of American Airlines, Provides Frank and Honest Assessment of the Issues Facing Caribbean Tourism; CSHAE Elects 2010-2011 Leadership / May 2010
	Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives Agree on Six Point Plan for National Associations; Susan Springer, Executive Director of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association Re-elected President / May 2008
	Caribbean Hotel Association Recognizes Individuals that Raise the Bar for Caribbean Hospitality; Eustace Guishard, GM of Cap Juluca Resort in Anguilla Named “Caribbean Hotelier of the Year” / July 2005