The 10th Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operational Summit (“CHICOS”) was held at Baha Mar Resort in Nassau 11th and 12th November 2021 and continued the hugely successful progress of this leading gathering of players in the resort development and operation of tourism in the Caribbean. With the delay of the event in 2020, it was a welcome relief for all to meet once again in person and debate the impact of the COVID pandemic on the industry.
BCL’s Chairman Martyn Bould has been a speaker at every one of the ten events and this year moderated a panel of experts discussing Hotel Design and Construction: Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing World. Fellow panelists included designers and engineers and project managers specializing in resorts and infrastructure provision particularly focused on green technology and sustainability and flexibility in design.
Noting the current trend in global fuel price increases and power shortages the panel debated recommendations in design to improve energy efficiencies, key risk management to deal with global supply change issues and design considerations to provide flexibility, noting the pandemic had led to guests having more time to research destinations, amenities and experiences.
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. A key recommendation was to attempt to see if all regional countries could attempt to standardize entry requirements as the plethora of different requirements led to confusion amongst travelers.
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.
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.
