One of the region’s largest hospitality industry events is kicking off this month. Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC) is scheduled for April 24-26 at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The event is geared towards emphasizing the need for public and private sector partnerships in order to maximize investment opportunities in the Caribbean tourism industry.

Organizers say the comprehensive conference programme this year provides delegates with all of the necessary tools including how to attract capital from financial institutions and utilizing partnerships with the public sector.

The programme is also designed to place tourism related businesses in the best possible position to capitalize on the global economic recovery.

“Tourism is our region’s number one economy and we must do everything to attract new tourism investment into the region to be able to expand our tourism product and therefore maintain our global competitive position as the world’s leading warm weather destination,” says Josef Forstmayr, president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA).

“This year’s investment conference programme will be geared to jump start the investment opportunities in the tourism industry and will feature a varied programme geared towards developing the necessary partnerships to achieve successful investments for all parties involved.”

CHTIC, organized by CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), attracts government officials, investment promotion agencies, hoteliers, investors, lenders, architects, planners, construction companies, financial organizations, real estate/mortgage intermediaries, developers, industry officials and other tourism entities.

The general sessions topics include: Setting the scene: challenges, potential and opportunities – the Caribbean on the world tourism stage; opportunities in the Caribbean tourism industry with regard to public and private sector partnerships; an investor’s perspective (leading hoteliers and developers participate in a panel discussion); and experts reveal proven strategies for long-term success.

Break-out sessions tackle branding, real estate and hospitality, troubled assets, timeshares and a capital market outlook for the further development of the hospitality and real estate industries in the Caribbean.

The conference programme also provides opportunities for delegates to conduct business through a networking reception and lunches.

CHTA and the CTO are both not-for-profit organizations. CHTA represents the regional hotel and tourism associations, while the CTO is the public sector tourism body representing the countries of the region.

CHTIC was launched 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.

tblair@dupuch.com