The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) and American Express have announced the launch of a Meetings & Incentives Seminar to give its membership in the Caribbean hospitality industry the knowledge and tools to garner a greater share of the lucrative meetings and incentives markets. “According to the Meetings & Conventions 2002 Meetings Market Report, total spending on meetings and conventions in 2001 was US$100 billion,” explained Emmanuel Schreibmaier, vice-president of sales and marketing for the Americas of Sol Meliá Hotels and chairman of the CHA Meetings & Incentives Subcommittee. “Incentive travel clearly presents a prime growth opportunity for the region.”  The one-day program of presentations and workshops will be held for the first time on Wednesday, August 11, 2004, at the Amaryllis Beach Resort in Barbados.

A second session will be presented on Friday, August 13th, at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino in Sint Maarten.  The program will be led by Bob Vitagliano, Certified Incentive Travel Executive and former Vice President and CEO of the Society of Incentive Travel Executives.

Areas of discussion will include an overview of the meetings and incentive market; the elements of a successful meeting and incentive destination; expectations of the incentive traveler; and the products that sell.  In addition, participants will learn how to create proposals and presentations that sell to incentive travel buyers.

The seminar concludes with a two-hour practical workshop to allow participants to identify and assess the strengths and weaknesses of their Caribbean destinations and products, viewed from an incentive viewpoint.

The seminar is part of the Caribbean Hotel Association meetings and incentives program that also includes “Caribbean Meetings & Events,” the first publication on the Caribbean meetings market, produced by CHA’s publishing arm Gold Book Publishing. 
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