SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (April 25, 2000) - The Caribbean Hotel Association's (CHA) annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC), themed CHA-CHIC.COM 2000, will address some of the hottest trends around, and focus on the operational and marketing changes that

Keynote Address

Reflecting the importance of environmental issues as they relate to tourism, CHA has announced that Robert Collier, chairman of GREEN GLOBE, will deliver the conference's keynote address.

With over 30 years of experience in the hotel industry in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, Mr. Collier has been an integral part of the technology changes that are driving today's tourism industry. Prior to his position with GREEN GLOBE, Mr. Collier was senior vice president, marketing and strategic planning, for Intercontinental Hotels.

General Sessions

Through participation in workshops and general sessions, people attending CHA--CHIC.COM can expand their knowledge of the latest changes affecting the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry. The program includes the following general sessions:

The Caribbean Hotel Industry in the 21st Century -- Industry leaders will discuss the impact of changes on their business and what they are doing to meet the challenge.
Moderator: James Burba, managing director, Insignia/ESG Hotel Partners 
Panelists: Ed Fuller, president & managing director, Marriott International Corp.; Eric Pfeffer, president & CEO, Cendant Hotel Division, Cendant Corp.; Gordon "Butch" Stewart, chairman & CEO, Sandals Resorts; Ralph Taylor, chairman & CEO, Almond Beach Resorts, Inc. and CHA president-elect; and Berthia Parle, general manager & owner, Bay Gardens Hotel, St. Lucia.

European Travel Trade in Transition -- A crossfire exchange on the changing patterns in the European market and the effects of late booking engines and consumer call centers. 
Moderator: Nadine Cuell, partner, Advantage Leisure
Panelists: Steve Endacott, managing director, Urban Web, and Steven Freudman, president, Association of British Travel Agents.

What's New in Distribution Technology -- Senior executives will analyze the impact of new technology and offer practical tips on how to benefit from it all.
Moderator: Roger S. Cline, Arthur Andersen, LLP
Panelists: Scott Anderson, executive vice president sales & marketing, Cendant Corp.

Air Service to the Caribbean - The Changing Patters of Lift Into and Within The Caribbean -- The Caribbean is enjoying increased air service to the region because of additional flights and new service from several carriers. Inter-island service is also growing.
Moderator: Geoffrey Lipman, CEO, Air Harbour Technologies
Panelists: Allen Chastanet, vice president sales & marketing, Air Jamaica; Conrad Aleong, president & CEO, BWIA International; Frank Rainieri, president, Grupo Punta Cana; and Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, e-Caribbean.com.

Caribbean Travel Industry Crossfire -- Our most popular panel of diverse travel professionals from all segments of the industry debate the future of such important issues as public/private sector cooperation, the growth of cruise tourism, increasing taxation and regulation, and a comprehensive regional marketing program.
Moderator: James Burba, managing director, Insignia/ESG Hotel Partners 
Panelists: Edward A. Malone, president of CHA; Michael Laverty, manager marketing communications, Carnival Cruise Lines; Carla Noel, director of tourism, Trinidad & Tobago; Simon Suarez, vice president for development, Coral Hotels & Resorts, S.A.; Robert Lawrence, vice president Caribbean marketing, GOGO Worldwide Vacations; and Javier Aluni, president, Quintana Roo Hotel Association.

Workshops

In addition to the general sessions, conference delegates can participate in workshops that have been designed to meet specific needs and interests of CHA's membership. The workshops are as follows:

Careers in Tourism - First Choice or Last Resort -- CHA has designated 2000 as "The Year of Human Resource Development." This workshop will highlight how jobs and careers in Caribbean tourism are perceived and the implications of a poor image to the development of a sustainable tourism product.
Moderator: Michael Olsen, director of research, International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA)
Panelists: Dion Strachan, vice president resource services, Atlantis Paradise Island Hotel & Casino; Teresa Alfonso, regional vice president operations, Mexico and Central America Division, Allegro Resorts; Pat Elie, regional training manager, Sandals Resorts; Anselmo Pontilius, president, Federation of Caribbean Latin America Hospitality Trade Unions; and Lawrence Samuel, general manager, Windjammer Landing, St. Lucia.

Quality Assurance - How to Make the Caribbean Competitive -- Quality assurance is a major issue for Caribbean tourism as the industry struggles to compete in the ever increasingly competitive global tourism marketplace.
Moderator: John Jefferis, chairman and CEO, Coco Reef Resort & Spa, Tobago 
Panelists: Henry Walther, director resort properties, Fiesta Americana; Royston Hopkin, CMG, chairman, Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada; William R. Aguiton, CHA Director

Allied Workshop: Capitalizing on Business Opportunities Through the CHA Website - This session gives pointers to allied members on how to reach a targeted market by taking advantage of all that e-commerce has to offer.
Moderator: Richard Holm, Internet consultant, Caribbean consulting.com
Panelists: Jim Betts, CEO, TraveLinx, and Jeff Morgan, owner, Sugar Mill Hotel, British
Virgin Islands.

Allied Workshop: An Allied Toolkit on Selling in the Caribbean -- This session educates allied members correct way to make sales calls, how to make contacts and other valuable tips from sales and marketing experts.
Moderator: James Weitkamp, executive vice president, James G. Hardy 
Panelists: Rob Sherman, managing director, Curtain Bluff Resort, Antigua; Richard Doumeng, president Bolongo Bay Beach Club & Villas, St. Thomas; and Jim Keenan, director of purchasing, RMI Purchasing Radisson Cable Beach.

CAST Workshop: Does Money Grow on Trees? -- Good environmental management is more that a moral dilemma, it's a business decision. This session teaches delegates ways to reduce operational costs, strategies to confront beach loss due to man-made or natural disasters and how being "green" means being "in the green."
Moderator: James Samuels, CHA environmental committee chairman 
Panelists: Ola Ivarsson, Scandic Hotels; Mechelle Best, environmental officer, Almond Beach Resorts; Baldwin Powell, Sandals Negril; and Steve Blount, World Publications.

CAST Workshop: Marketing the Environmental Edge - Consumers are becoming more selective, and environmentally sensitive operations are playing an ever increasing role in the decision making for vacations. This workshop demonstrates how to turn environmental projects into marketing advantages.
Moderator: Royston Hopkin, CMG, CAST vice chairman, and chairman, Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada.
Panelists: Jan Jackson, environmental officer, British Airways Holidays; Dr. Michael Iwandt, director of environment, TUI (a leading German tour operator); and Robert Collier, chairman of GREEN GLOBE.

Networking Opportunities

Allied members will have the opportunity to meet and network with hoteliers from the fast expanding hotel industry in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the Riviera Maya. In addition, the Trade Show Exposition enables hoteliers and allied members to meet, mingle and conduct business.

Popular Favorites

CHA-CHIC.COM 2000 will feature delegate favorites such as the American Express Awards luncheon which honors Stars of the Industry; Federal Express "You Too Can be A Millionaire" Breakfast; the Gala Banquet with the coveted Hotelier of the Year award; the CHA Foundation Golf Tournament and Silent Auction; and the Caribbean Night Theme Party.