Forming part of UNWTO’s Centre Stage project and organized in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), the one-day event saw around 200 female Dominican entrepreneurs share their experience and knowledge while also benefitting from expert insights into growing tourism businesses and making the sector a driver of gender equality and sustainable development.
Parris Jordan, Chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) announces that the 11th edition of CHICOS will be hosted at the Hilton La Romana All-Inclusive Resort in the Dominican Republic from November 9–11, 2022. “The Dominican Republic as a destination continues to generate tremendous interest and has been the leading destination for new development projects in the Caribbean for a number of years,” says Jordan. “We are excited to bring CHICOS back to the Dominican Republic to showcase the island’s continued growth, including through the last few difficult years. We are thrilled to bring this premier Caribbean event back to this increasingly important country with our partners: the government of the Dominican Republic, MITUR and ProDominicana, Playa Hotels & Resorts, and Hilton.”
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is proud to announce the formation of a new chapter in Puerto Rico that is being established through a development grant provided by Discover Puerto Rico. A key objective of the grant is to provide educational programs for hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue professionals and stakeholders in the market, which will enhance their skills and abilities.
One week after discontinuing its curfew, the Government of Barbados is announcing a series of updates to enhance travellers’ entry process into the country.
Signaling the brand's ongoing confidence in the destination, Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the Caribbean's leading luxury all-inclusive resort company, will add three new hotels to its Jamaica roster.
Jamaica has been selected to host the next Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) on November 14-15, 2019. Co-sponsors Apple Leisure Group (ALG) and AMResorts will provide the conference venue, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay and Secrets St. James Montego Bay. The event is expected to attract 300 attendees interested in hospitality development in the Caribbean.
The 2018 edition of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) concluded last week with energetic and renewed interest in the region, as well as optimism, as displayed by a notable presence of lenders and banks eager to meet with developers.
Airbnb and the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) have partnered to streamline and enhance the on-island vacation experience. This fall, the BTA will begin marketing the destination across Airbnb's channels, reaching a vast audience of potential visitors who favour vacation rentals. As part of the island's Vacation Rentals Act 2018, Airbnb will collect the new 4.5 percent visitor fee on vacation rentals from guests staying at Bermuda Airbnb listings, offering a frictionless transaction for guests and hosts. The new partnership is part of BTA's ongoing efforts to support Bermuda's entrepreneurs and grow the island's tourism industry in impactful ways.
The Bahamas is the Center of the Caribbean this week, but it appears not all Caribbean regions much noticeable Jamaica are not represented.
The Conference organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Government of Jamaica, the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank aims to set a new collaborative framework for tourism moving towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. An official event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, the event gathers 1500 participants and over 150 speakers in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is disappointed to hear of President Trump's plan to reverse key elements of the trading relationship between the US and Cuba, as outlined by President Obama in 2014 and by his visit last year. "The Cuban people are directly benefiting from increased business and leisure travel to Havana. Travel brings income to the people who work in our industry. President Trump's statements indicate that the Cuban people, rather than the government will be hit by this policy change." said David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC.
Expedia, Inc., the worlds largest online travel company, announced today that travelers can now book hotels in Cuba on its global points of sale, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets. Cuba continues to generate interest as a hot destination among travelers; its Ministry of Tourism reported more than four million foreign visitors in 2016, with the biggest increase in visitor numbers from the U.S. From the colorful and historic streets of Havana and Hemmingways homestead in San Francisco de Pau la, to the cobbled colonial town of Trinidad and beyond, travelers from around the world can today leverage Expedia sites to research and book properties throughout Cuba. With hotel options spanning from the east to the west side of the island, there will be no shortage of accommodations for consumers to choose from, including Pinar Del Rio, Camaguey, and Santiago de Cuba. Expedia has been closely working with local Cuban partners to bring travelers to this widely-anticipated market, and make the hotel booking process as easy as possible.Weve been working around the clock with our partners to be able to offer this iconic, culture-rich destination to our global customers, with the added convenience of online booking through a trusted travel partner, said Mario Ribera, vice president of market management for Latin America. As one of the first U.S. companies to offer hotel bookings in Cuba for individual travelers, were well-poised to bring new consumers into the market, further strengthening the value proposition with our partners.We are excited to make Barcel properties in Cuba accessible to travelers on Expedia platforms around the world, said, Josep Brichs, Corporate Commercial Director for Barcel Hotel Group Latin America. We are very proud Barcel Solymar and Barcel Arenas Blancas in Varadero have been one of the first bookings made on Expedia upon the opening of the destination. Expedia is a key partner and our priority is to develop new opportunities on the international travel industry together."Both U.S. and non-U.S. travelers can research and book their Cuba accommodations in compliance with OFAC regulations on Expedia points-of-sale globally with U.S. travelers certifying that their travel falls under one of 12 categories of authorized travel, including family visits, travel for government work, journalism, professional research, humanitarian work and educational activities, and people-to-people educational travel, among others and with non-U.S travelers confirming that they are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
With hurricane season fast-approaching, the all-inclusive Holiday Inn Resort® Montego Bay is moving quickly to minimize any negative impact potential storms might have on guests by reinstating its Hurricane Guarantee. Valid on bookings for resort stays enjoyed throughout the entire 2017 Atlantic hurricane season (May 1 to November 30, 2017), the program provides consumer purchase protection against disruptions due to hurricanes as follows:Pre-VacationGuests holding confirmed reservations with nonrefundable deposits who are unable to travel due to the closure of Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport caused by a Category One or higher hurricane can rebook their reservations for a future resort stay without penalty. A one-category room upgrade will also be provided based on space availability (excludes suites). Mid-VacationShould a Category One or higher hurricane interrupt resort operations for more than 24 hours, guests already on property will receive a certificate valid for a free future stay. Certificates will be valid for resort stays equal to the number of days that hotel operations are interrupted as determined by the resort. Certificates must be redeemed within one (1) calendar year from the date of issuance. Free future stays will be awarded subject to space availability and certain blackout dates may apply.Nicola Madden-Greig, Group Director of Marketing and Sales, commented on the Hurricane Guarantee, saying: "A relaxed vibe on the beach and at area attractions combines with our ever-present great weather and uniquely Jamaican vibes to make summer and fall ideal periods to escape to MoBay. Our Hurricane Guarantee ensures that travelers choosing Holiday Inn can vacation in Jamaica throughout Hurricane Season with confidence."The Holiday Inn Resort® Montego Bay Hurricane Guarantee is valid exclusively on U.S. bookings. Group bookings are excluded and the program is subject to change at any time.For reservations, please visit www.caribbeanhi.com, or call 1-888-288-6006.
During a press conference held yesterday, President and Founder of SAHIC Arturo Garcia Rosa and Cuba Vice Minister of Tourism Luis Miguel Diaz Sanchez officially announced May 15-16, 2017 as the dates for the first SAHIC which will be held in Havana. This one-of-a-kind conference will bring nearly 150 senior hospitality and development executives from more than 25 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia who are interested in conducting business in the island nation. Representatives from major international hotel chains, investors, developers, consultants, architects, designers and other members of the regional and international investment community are looking to Cuba as a region offering marked growth.
DORADO BEACH -- Today, fashion designer and esteemed member of the Rockefeller family, Ariana Rockefeller, unveils a new limited edition handbag capsule inspired by Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
World Travel Awards has revealed that Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa will host the Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony 2017.
Situated on 12 miles of crystal white sand on Grace Bay, Beaches Turks & Caicos will welcome leaders from across the region on Saturday 16th September as they gather to see who among them has been voted the pinnacle of the travel industry.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the region's tourism development agency, and Airbnb, whose community marketplace provides access to millions of unique accommodations, today signed a landmark agreement to develop a set of policy principles and recommendations on the sharing economy for Caribbean governments and other stakeholders.
The premier edition of SAHIC Cuba 2017 (http://www.sahiccuba.com) to be held in Havana, Cuba May 15- 16, 2016, has confirmed that CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Conference David Scowsill will be featured as the Conference's keynote speaker. During what will be a highly-anticipated conference session and before an audience of an expected 250 hospitality executives and investors interested in Cuba, Scowsill will speak about his vision for future development of projects and his view on challenges faced by the island nation. "David Scowsill's presence at our Conference brings such enormous value to our informative and educational two-day event," states Arturo Garcia Rosa, President & Founder of SAHIC Cuba. "Scowsill's prestigious experience and insights to our industry on a global scale and his very personal reflections will bring us such integral insight and a personable quality to this important address." Scowsill has been Chairman PrivateFly, Chairman Yuuguu, Director On the Beach Holidays, Director i-level Digital, Vice Chairman at Worldhotels; Director Venere Net SpA; Group Marketing Director at Manchester Airports Group, Sales and Marketing Director at easyJet airlines and CEO for Opodo, the pan-European online travel company. He has built an extensive network in Private Equity and Venture Capital, while working on specific deals in the travel and technology sectors.Previously, Scowsill served as the Managing Director of the Consumer Division for Orange; CEO for the global retail services business Minit Group; SVP Sales, Marketing, and IT on the Board of Hilton Hotels, Director of Hilton.com, and Hilton Reservations Worldwide. He has 19 years of extensive sales, marketing, and operational experience worldwide in aviation, with British Airways as Director of Europe and Middle East, and Regional General Manager of Asia Pacific; and as Managing Director of European Sales at American Airlines.He graduated from the University of Southampton in the UK, where he received an Honors Degree in Spanish, Italian, Catalan, and Latin American studies. Mr. Scowsill said: "I am delighted to be speaking at SAHIC this year, hosted in the beautiful travel destination Cuba. Latin America is an important tourism region showing great growth opportunities. According to WTTC figures, Travel & Tourism generates 9% of the region's GDP. Additionally, recent UNWTO data showed that international arrivals in South America and Central America both grew by 6% over 2016. I am looking forward to discuss how the region's Travel & Tourism sector can further develop in a sustainable manner during the course of the event." WTTC is the only global body that brings together all major players in the Travel & Tourism sector (airlines, hotels, cruise, car rental, travel agencies, tour operators, GDS, and technology), enabling them to speak with One Voice to governments and international bodies. It is important that WTTC has the broadest geographical representation and includes all aspects of the sector, including organizations that provide vital services to Travel & Tourism. http://www.wttc.org For more information about SAHIC Cuba and to register with Early Bird Rates (by March 31, 2016) visit www.sahic.com.
Restel, the hotel reservation center belonging to Grupo Hotusa, has incorporated the 50 establishments of the Cubanacan chain. The agreement marks a milestone as it is the first direct integration agreement made by an international operator with a Cuban hotel chain. Restel currently markets more than 200,000 hotels around the world on its platform.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- The head of the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable tourism will make his first ever appearance at a Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) event when he presents at the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) next month.