THE CARIBBEAN Hotel Association (CHA) is urging the region to get back to "the business of doing business", as it pushes for participation in its upcoming trade show, CHA Marketplace.
The Caribbean is hoping to capitalise on changes within the marketplace, as travellers seek alternatives to traditional destinations, in the wake of Ame-rica's on-going war against terrorism.
The region is emerging as an alternative destination, especially for Europeans who would otherwise have been headed for destinations in the Indian Ocean, Gulf States and North Africa, as well as the Latin Americans who normally visit the United States, said the association.
"This (the trade show) will provide Caribbean suppliers with a database of buyers, therefore more business opportunities," said a CHA release quoting John Bell, director-general and chief executive officer. Marketplace is scheduled for January 13-15 in Cancun, Mexico.
The CHA is also preparing for the December 8-9 Caribbean Tourism Summit Conference in the Bahamas where regional tourism players hope to put concerns about the industry directly to the Heads of Government "with one strong clear voice."
Those concerns centre around security and environmental issues, taxation, linkages with other sectors and investment.
