Taking Caribbean tourism to the next level
There was good news for the industry during the recent Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF), with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) president, Nicola Madden-Greig, OD, sharing an ambitious vision for the future of Caribbean hospitality.
Underscoring the conference’s theme — A New Era of Tourism: Balancing Tradition, Technology and Community – Madden-Greig highlighted encouraging industry statistics, noting that despite a global downturn in inbound tourism, the Caribbean is surpassing the trend with a 17% increase.
However, the CHTA’s boss also acknowledged there remain challenges, particularly in air connectivity and high costs, which could impede the industry’s continued growth.
Madden-Greig told the conference: “We want to look at the next level of Caribbean tourism, taking it beyond recovery, beyond growth, and into the stratosphere. Our goal is to learn about how destinations have succeeded in recovery, the best practices, and how we can share those insights for us all to move in that direction.”
And she added: “We must continue to have seamless collaboration and coordination with both industry and government and with each other to reach new heights.”
Hosted by the CHTA in Miami, industry leaders, innovators, hospitality professionals and influencers explored crucial themes shaping the sector.
Topics included navigating a rapidly evolving landscape due to technology innovations, increasing air connectivity, advancing responsible tourism practices, fostering collaborations, and prioritizing people development.
Acting CEO and director general of CHTA, Vanessa Ledesma said that: “As the curtains close on the CHIEF meeting, the industry stands united, armed with insights and commitments, to drive positive change. The outcomes of this gathering signal a collective determination to create a more diverse, sustainable and technologically advanced future for hospitality. CHTA is committed to leading the way in providing our members and stakeholders the tools and resources to further this advancement.”
Go to www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com for more.
