The inaugural HVS Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS), held November 10-11 at the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, in the Bahamas, was a resounding success. Initial reviews from conference attendees are overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the high quality of the speakers, panel discussions and presentations. HVS CHICOS differs from other regional conferences with its formation of Task Forces to face, head on, the variety of obstacles and barriers which inhibit hospitality investment in the Caribbean.

"Our Task Forces will be made up of a cross section of international and regional leaders in the hospitality, tourism, real estate, legal, investment, airline and government sectors," comments Mr. Parris Jordan, Managing Director of HVS's office in the Caribbean region. "We will proactively face the region's most pressing issues in order to progress hospitality and tourism development and investment."

HVS CHICOS 2011 featured some of the top hospitality players in the industry and in the region. Among them were, most notably: Adam Rosenberg Managing Director, Global Head of Gaming The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; Chad Meyerson, Director Global Sales, JetBlue; Don Robinson, President, Baha Mar Resorts Ltd.; Galo Beltran Vice President of Business Planning - American Eagle/American Airlines; Michael Shindler, Executive Vice President, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos; Noah Tratt, Global Vice President, Expedia; Paul Burke, Chief Operating Officer, Kerzner International; Scott Woroch, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Development Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Steve Carvell, Associate Dean Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration; Steve Rushmore, President & Founder HVS Global Hospitality Services; and the Honorable Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Government of the Bahamas (and member of our conference advisory board).

"I also wish to thank the students who volunteered their time and efforts to help our conference run smoothly," adds Jordan. "We had assistance from a number of students from the Cornell Hotel School and from the College of the Bahamas."

Another highlight of HVS CHICOS was the debut of the video which presents the firm's newest initiative – HVS Hospitality Education And Training (HEAT) program. HVS President & Founder, Steve Rushmore presented the impressive video and then introduced Derek Johnson, CEO of Yele Haiti Foundation who shared insight and appreciation for the positive impact of HEAT for the newest hospitality students in Haiti. Click here to view the video.

Planning for next year's HVS CHICOS is currently underway, with the dates and location for the event to be announced soon. For more details on the most recent conference please visit www.hvschicos.com.

About HVS

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.

Leora Halpern Lanz
+1 516-680-8529
HVS