Peter Odle, owner and managing director of the 76-room Mango Bay Hotel in Barbados, is taking the reigns as president of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) for the two-year term beginning June 2006 through June 2008.

The gavel was passed from Berthia Parle, of Bay Gardens Inn in St. Lucia, at CHA’s Annual General Meeting during the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) 2006 in Miami, Florida.  Parle will assume the role of Chairman of CHA for the next two years and continue to assist in the running of the association.

Odle is a successful and respected tourism veteran with more than 25 years of industry experience.  Owner of Mango Bay Hotel and three other small properties in Barbados, he is recognized in the Caribbean tourism industry for his role in the development and sustainability of the indigenous small hotel throughout the region.

In 2000, his fellow Caribbean hoteliers bestowed on him the honor of the “Caribbean Hotelier of the Year” Award, in recognition of the time and resources he has volunteered through CHA over the years to help improve and grow the Caribbean tourism product.

A recent example of Peter Odle’s spirit of fellowship was put into evidence following the passing of Hurricane Ivan through Grenada in September 2004.  Wasting no time, he sprang to action to help his fellow hoteliers in the devastated country, chartering two planes in order to assist with the evacuation of hotel guests.  With the support of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Odle reached out to his local hospitality industry partners to provide lodging for the visitors while arrangements were made with the airlines and tour operators to take them home.

Originally set to pursue a law-oriented career, Peter Odle changed course in 1977 when he built 14 apartments known as Regent Apartments in the Sunset Crest area of Barbados.  In the same year, he entered a lease agreement on the Island Inn Hotel and Palm Beach Hotel in Barbados.

Keeping on par with the growing trend of catering businesses, Mr. Odle established Island Caterers in 1978, one of the biggest catering businesses on Barbados today.  In 1981, Mr. Odle became Managing Director and Director of Operations for all of his businesses.

Between 1993 and 1994, he reconstructed Palm Beach Hotel into the beautiful all-inclusive Mango Bay Hotel in Barbados.  Completing Mr. Odle’s portfolio of properties is the small 24-room property on Barbados’ west coast known as “Sunswept,” Holetown.  He is Chairman of his group of companies.

As an active volunteer in CHA, Peter Odle has been pro-active in his support for all aspects of the hospitality industry.

He is also Deputy Chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority and Chairman of the National Tourism Marketing Committee in Barbados.

Aside from his overwhelming success as a dedicated hotelier, by serving in the above-mentioned capacities, he has consistently ensured that governments, organizations and hospitality-related agencies are fully aware of the importance of the resort business and its impact on employment and the economic well-being of individual countries and the Caribbean region as a whole.
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