The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and to mark the momentous occasion, CHTA, in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Jamaica, is hosting a Caribbean Tourism Summit June 15-16, 2012 at the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall in Jamaica.

The Caribbean Tourism Summit is open to all tourism and hospitality industry personnel in the region and will feature general sessions that will focus on the following topics:

*  International Aviation Policy - Its Impact on Caribbean Tourism
*  A Review of Existing Airlift Into and Within the Caribbean and Projections for Future Development
*  How Competitive is the Caribbean Vacation Experience?
*  Caribbean Hotels - Are They Being Upstaged by Competitors from the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia?
*  People to People: The Importance of Service, Not Only in Hotels and Restaurants, but with Taxis, Shopping and in Government Services
*  “CHTA’s Golden Jubilee marks a historic occasion in the Caribbean hospitality and tourism industry,” said Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA. “The Caribbean Tourism Summit brings to the forefront those discussions and topics that are crucial to our development as we begin our next 50 years,” he added.

“This is an exciting time for the Caribbean as we celebrate this golden milestone and, at the same time, turn a page in our strategy for developing the Caribbean brand as we embark on new public and private sector cooperation in marketing our region,” said Richard “Ricky” Skerritt, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts and Chairman of CTO.

“This is Jamaica’s 50th year of independence,” says John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, “which is a perfect backdrop for hosting this historic Caribbean Tourism Summit. There are several 50th anniversary activities which will enhance the experience for participants of the summit. We look forward to showcasing our unique culture at this prestigious event.”

The Caribbean Tourism Summit will also feature the presentation of coveted industry awards including Caribbean Employee of the Year, Caribbean Supervisor of the Year, Caribbean Allied Member of the Year, Caribbean Association Executive of the Year and Caribbean Hotelier of the Year.

The Caribbean Tourism Summit culminates with a 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Gala Dinner at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 16, 2012 at 7 pm.