Some 300 participants attended the 11th Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operational Summit (“CHICOS”) held at the Hilton La Romana Resort in the Dominican Republic from 10th and 11th November 2022 and continued the hugely successful progress of this leading gathering of players in the resort development and operation of tourism in the Caribbean.
The mood was very upbeat with the resilience of the tourist industry in the Caribbean as it continues a robust recovery from the effects of the Pandemic.
BCL’s chairman Martyn Bould has been a speaker at every one of the eleven events and this year moderated a panel of experts discussing Changes to the Caribbean Lodging Market Post- Pandemic. Fellow panelists Louis Alicea, Senior Director of Development, Caribbean – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Jamie Sharpe, SVP, Real Estate & Hospitality Team – McGriff and Roland Mouly, SVP Strategic Partnerships, Premier (Ashford Inc.) interrogated a wide range of effects and the impact on the industry to the delight of a most attentive and complimentary audience.
Noting the current trend in flight costs and frequencies, interest rates and possible recession the opportunities and changes in the sale of destinations have led to innovative approaches and a wider appreciation of the benefits of the All Inclusive product.
In the panel and throughout the conference a common theme was that the COVID lockdown had given everyone time to think and reassess how project delivery and most importantly lifestyle changes will be implemented as we emerge into a new normal.
The mood of the conference was upbeat and pent-up demand for travel following the lockdown sees many destinations showing forward bookings at higher levels that pre-pandemic.
Of particular pleasure to this edition of CHICOS was the attendance of the Hon Kenneth Bryan, Cayman Islands Minister of Tourism and his team. Minister Bryan is also Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Association and he and his team found the extent of information, knowledge and networking of particular benefit to the Ministries work with the Cayman Islands tourism product.
As always CHICOS provided a unique opportunity to gather together in one location highly experienced players in the tourist field from Government, Operators, Investors, Developers, Lenders and Professional Advisors.
Contact:
Bernadine Murrain
345 946 6063
Caribbean Very Much "Open for Business" Despite 2017 Devastating Hurricanes Key Topicat Seventh Annual Chicos Conference.
Bould Consulting Limited long association with the British Virgin Islands and our many friends and business colleagues there, enabled a rapid response to assist with the rebuild following the devastation caused by hurricane Irma and Maria in September 2017.
