CHA Applauds PM Ingraham for Support of Tourism at CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting

The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), through its President Peter Odle, has applauded and praised the remarks and strong support of tourism interests by the Rt. Honorable Hubert A. Ingraham, Prime Minister of the Bahamas and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the 19th Inter-Session Meeting of the Heads of Government last week in Nassau, Bahamas.

Prime Minister Ingraham welcomed the delegates with a clear warning that “our tourism sector is stalling” and urged his fellow Heads of Government to take appropriate action, in particular to place emphasis “on our youth and on their education and skills training.”

He also urged “collaboration and cooperation in areas such as product development, service standards, marketing, ecotourism and sustainable tourism promotion and development.”

The result of this 19th Inter-Session Meeting of the Heads of Government is an agreement to devote one day to a special session on tourism during the 29th Meeting of the Heads of Government set to take place July 3 to 5, 2008 in Antigua.

In addition, the Heads agreed that tourism would be included as a permanent item on the Agenda of the Conference and on all CARICOM agendas in view of the importance of tourism to the economies of the region.

Peter Odle, president of CHA and owner and managing director of Mango Bay Hotel in Barbados, said: “We are invigorated throughout the private sector in the Caribbean to hear the words of support and encouragement for the importance of our tourism industry in the Caribbean from one of the most recognized and respected prime ministers in the region, the Honorable Hubert A. Ingraham.”

Mr. Ingraham opened his keynote address to the Heads of Governments with a singular focus on tourism, an issue that has not had front and center stage
attention before.

The Board of Directors of CHA, at their meeting during Marketplace 2008, has praised the recently concluded Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, a first-ever, alliance that will ensure continued support of tourism interests in the Caribbean.

As a result of this just concluded agreement, CHA looks forward to the establishment of an appropriate CARIFORUM mechanism that will lead to the rapid implementation of what has been agreed in order that the industry may improve its competitiveness in preparation for the agreed upon level of services liberalization.