THE CARIBBEAN (May 15, 2012) - The Caribbean Tourism Summit & Outlook Seminar taking place June 15-16 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Jamaica will focus on crucial issues facing the region including creation of airlift options, rising global competition for tourists, and the importance of developing human resources to provide the service and experiences that today’s vacationers expect.

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association have collaborated on bringing this inaugural Caribbean Tourism Summit to life which is expected to bring together tourism officials and hoteliers from across the region as well as interested parties from the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America.

The staging of CHTA’s 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Black-tie Gala on June 16 at the culmination of the Summit is designed to reunite tourism and hospitality leaders from the past and bring them together with today’s executives for a celebration to mark the momentous occasion.

The central theme of the Caribbean Tourism Summit is on solving the perennial aviation problems that have challenged the region for the past 50 years. The General Sessions and invited speakers are as follows:

• International Aviation Policy - Its Impact on Caribbean Tourism: Cyriel Kronenberg, IATA; Dr. Wykeham McNeill, Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica; David Scowsill, World Travel & Tourism Council; Taleb Rifai, UNWTO; Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas and a representative from ICAO.
• A Review of Existing Airlift Into and Within the Caribbean and Projections for Future Development: Ian Burns, RedJet; Peter Dolara, American Airlines; Roberto Kriete, Latin America Air Transport Association; John Lynch, Jamaica Tourist Board and a representative from JetBlue.
• How Competitive is the Caribbean Vacation Experience?: Josef Forstmayr, CHTA and Round Hill Hotel and Villas; Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics; Peter Yesawich, MMGY Global and representatives from U.S., European and Latin American tour operators.
• Caribbean Hotels - Are They Being Upstaged by Competitors from the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia?: Sebastian Escarrer, Melia Hotels International; Peter Greenberg, CBS; and Gary Schweikert, Jumeirah Group.
• People to People: The Importance of Service, Not Only in Hotels and Restaurants, but with Taxis, Shopping and in Government Services: Hugh Riley, CTO.

"This is also Jamaica’s 50th year of independence,” says John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, “which is a perfect backdrop for hosting this historic Caribbean Tourism Summit.  There are several 50th anniversary activities which will enhance the experience for participants of the Summit.  We look forward to showcasing our unique culture at this prestigious event.”

"CHTA’s Golden Jubilee marks a historic occasion in the Caribbean hospitality and tourism industry," said Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA.  "The Caribbean Tourism Summit brings to the forefront those discussions and topics that are crucial to our development as we begin our next 50 years," he added.

"This is an exciting time for the Caribbean as we celebrate this golden milestone and, at the same time, turn a page in our strategy for developing the Caribbean brand as we embark on new public and private sector cooperation in marketing our region," said Richard "Ricky" Skerritt, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts and Chairman of CTO.

During the Caribbean Tourism Summit, CHTA will inaugurate the new president for the 2012-14 biennium.  Additionally, there will be the presentation of coveted industry awards including Caribbean Employee of the Year, Caribbean Supervisor of the Year, Caribbean Allied Member of the Year and Caribbean Association Executive of the Year and Caribbean Hotelier of the Year.

The Caribbean Tourism Summit culminates with a 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Gala Dinner at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 16, 2012 at 6:30pm.

Registration for the Caribbean Tourism Summit includes all educational sessions, two coffee breaks, one lunch and the Golden Jubilee Black-tie Gala Dinner.

Interested attendees can register via: http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-caribbean-tourism-summit/about.php or by contacting CHTA Conferences and Events, 305-443-3040 or email: [email protected].  Registration fees are as follows:

CHTA Member Hotels and CTO Government Representatives

• Regular registration: US$350 per person (until May 15, 2012)
• Group registration: US$275 per person (until May 15, 2012)
• Late registration: US$400 per person (after May 15, 2012)
• Group Late registration: US$325 per person (after May 15, 2012)
• Day Rate: US$225 per person

Non-Members

• Regular registration: US$500 per person (until May 15, 2012)
• Late registration: US$550 per person (after May 15, 2012)

Individual tickets for the Golden Jubilee Gala Dinner

• US$150 per person (until May 15, 2012)
• US$175 (after May 15, 2012)
• A limited number of tables of 8 are available for $960

“The Association was born as tourism in the wider Caribbean was emerging from under the dominance of pre-revolutionary Cuba in an effort to try to make a name for itself in the international tourism world," said John Bell, chairman of the 50th Anniversary Committee.

"Our greatest achievement is succeeding in cobbling together a cohesive association, comprising 35 island and mainland territories, whose roots in France, Spain, Britain, the Netherlands and the United States gave them very different agendas, and in the end, presenting the world with its best warm weather tourism destination," Bell added.

At the Awards Lunch, CHTA will also be releasing its signature book “The Caribbean, From Pirates to Hoteliers," a 220-page coffee-table book filled with stories and photos collected over the past five decades and produced by the Custom Publishing Division of the Miami Herald. It is available for $29 (pre-sale until June 16, 2012) by ordering the book on the Caribbean Tourism Summit registration form and will be sold at $39 after June 16.

CHTA commissioned HCP/Aboard Publishing, Custom Publishing Division of The Miami Herald Media Company to write and print The Caribbean: From Pirates to Hoteliers to depict the vivid and illustrious history of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry, its impact on all aspects of life in the region and its place in the world as an association at the forefront of tourism leadership.

Historic images chronicling key events in Caribbean history accompany stories dating from the earliest visitors to the region - from the colonial era to the famous "pirates of the Caribbean" - to the first tourists to the region, the rise of tourism after the Cuban revolution, and the formation of the CHTA.

Hotel Accommodations
CHTA has secured a group rate of US$135 per night at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort and Half Moon, a Rock Resort, both located in Rose Hall, Jamaica.  Taxes and service charges are additional.  The rate is available on bookings made by May 13, 2012.
Sponsors

In addition to CHTA, CTO and Jamaica, the Caribbean Tourism Summit is sponsored by the Jamaica Hotel & Tourism Association, CGM Gallagher, Exposure4, Henkell & Co., Interval International, MasterCard and The New York Times.

The Golden Jubilee Gala event is sponsored by Henkell and Co., Jamaica and Virgin Holidays.

The American Resort Development Association Resort Owner’s Coalition (ARDA-ROC) on behalf of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE) is sponsoring the inauguration of the new CHTA president.

Sponsorship opportunities for the Caribbean Tourism Summit are available at US$5,000 for companies seeking to elevate their presence at this prestigious event.

Individuals looking to attend the event can contact CHTA Conferences and Events, 305-443-3040 or email: [email protected].

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.  Celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 2012, CHTA 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 marshaling 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 375 allied members.

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