PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic -- Dubbed "The Unconventional
Convention," this year's Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference will
take place June 22 to 25 at the Barcelo Bavaro Convention Center
here.
"To quote author Robert Byrne, 'Everything is in a state of
flux, including the status quo,' " said Simon Suarez, Caribbean
Hotel Association president and Dominican Republic hotelier.
"Our industry has proven its resiliency and capacity to adapt to
external changes time and time again. It now readies itself to
bounce back from just one of those periods of uncertainty," he
said.
The CHA, in a break with past conferences, has designed this
event as a more relaxed forum. As a visible sign of informality,
business attire for men this year will be a guayabera -- an
open-necked, embroidered white or pastel cotton shirt, worn
untucked. No fashion directives have been issued for female
attendees.
Keynote speaker is Ian Prosser, chairman of the board of
InterContinental Hotels Group as well as head of the World Travel
& Tourism Council.
WTTC and CHA recently signed a three-year agreement to exchange
economic data and research to promote Caribbean tourism.
General sessions and breakout workshops are geared toward large
and small hotels, hotel companies, tourist boards, tour operators
and marketing managers.
Topics will include:
• The future's so bright ... you gotta wear shades: A Caribbean
tourism outlook.
• Up to snuff -- What's in and what's out: Analyses and comparisons
of Caribbean products and standards.
• From business suits to bathing suits: A look at the Caribbean
meetings and incentives market.
• I'll take 1,000 tourists to go: Methods of driving business in
today's changing travel environment.
• Public/private sector in bed together: A look at joint tourism
marketing ventures and campaigns.
• By land or by sea (or both!): Land-based tourism vs.
cruise-industry tourism.
• Online dating, and then some: Smarter, savvier online marketing
strategies.
• Merengue and more: Bridges the gap between the Spanish Caribbean
and other destinations in the region. A merengue dance lesson is
included.
• Get it together! How to make quality and certification standards
work.
• Put a spin on it!: Media expectations of representatives of
Carib- bean tourism sectors.
Early-bird registration, valid to May 30, offers savings of $100
off conference registration fees, which are $50 less than 2002, due
to meal credits for inclusive accommodations in Punta Cana.
To register, call (787) 725-9139, log onto www.cha-chic.org or
send an e-mail to [email protected].