ST. THOMAS, US Virgin Islands - June 2012 - Richard Doumeng, incoming President of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and Managing Director of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas, has set his agenda to reinvigorate and reinvent the CHTA by strengthening its individual National Hotel Associations.
 
Doumeng, a second-generation hotelier and past recipient of the CHTA Caribbean Hotelier of the Year award, takes the helm of the CHTA as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary. He officially takes office as President for a two-year term (2012 – 2014) at the CHTA Annual General Meeting held on June 14, 2012 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. During the meeting, the CHTA will elect the five Vice Presidents and Treasurer who will serve with Doumeng during his presidency.
 
“CHTA is an association of the National Hotel Associations. By strengthening the National Hotel Associations, we will bring direct and tangible value to our membership,” says Richard Doumeng, CHTA President and Managing Director of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas. “Our success as a region is tied to their success.”
 
His goals for the next two years are to: return CHTA to strong fiscal responsibility, focus CHTA’s energy and resources on programs and events that benefit the majority of the membership, strengthen the improved relationship between CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization through the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, continue the CHTA advocacy awareness with the Tourism is Key campaign, enhance the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary Competition, and generate more support for the CHTA Education Foundation.
 
“While the economy is still uncertain, I am optimistic for the future of our region,” adds Doumeng. “Together we can reinvigorate, revitalize and reinvent the CHTA so that we will thrive, not just survive, in the next 50 years.”
 
Doumeng was elected President-elect by acclamation at the Annual General Meeting of CHTA, held last June in Miami, FL. He has served on the CHTA Board of Directors for 20 years and Vice President of the association for the past 10 years.
 
About Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Family owned since 1974, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas is a flip-flop casual, fun resort where everyone knows your name. With 62 true beachfront rooms, Bolongo is recognized by Frommers as one of the “World’s 10 Best Beachfront Hotels.” Activities include complimentary non-motorized water sports, scuba diving, catamaran sails, two oceanfront restaurants and nightly entertainment at Iggies, one of the Caribbean’s best beach bars.
 
Located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American citizens do not need a passport to visit. For more information, call 1-800-524-4746 or visit http://www.bolongobay.com.

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.
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