15 Q&A 23/1/09 09:58 Page 15
interview Caribbean
Q&A
Enrique De
Marchena Kaluche
Enrique is president of the Caribbean Hotel and
Tourism Association for 2008-10. He also owns Sun
Village Resort & Bunglalows in the Dominican Republic
WHAT IS CHTA?. WHAT DOES CHTA DO TO ENCOURAGE .
CHTA was set up as a committee of the
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM?.
Caribbean Hotel Association in 1959, and later We set up the Caribbean Alliance for
became autonomous as a not-for-profit limited Sustainable Tourism (CAST) to give hoteliers
liability corporation in 1962. It was set up to training and education on sustainable tourism
enable hoteliers to work together against the and help them attain certification such as
power of airlines and tour operators. Now Green Globe and Blue Flag. It is important to
however, we’ve realised we need to work more integrate the needs of development, economic
closely with the rest of the tourism industry; and growth and proper development of natural
we’ve just changed our name to the Caribbean resources. Put simply, tourism development and
Hotel and Tourism Association. Our mission is environmental sustainability go hand in hand.
to optimise the full potential of the Caribbean
hotel and tourism industry by serving member
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING.
needs and building partnerships. We currently
THE REGION IN 2009?.
have more than 800 member hotels and 750 There’s no doubt that the global financial
allied members. situation has taken a toll on the tourism
industry, not just in terms of visitors’ dollars
WHAT DOES IT DO?.
but also in terms of investment in new projects.
CV Enrique De Marchena Kaluche
We perform marketing and support functions Planned constructions are now being reconsid-
throughout the region. We also hold conferences ered. The proposed Air Passenger Duty tax in Enrique is a managing partner of
such as Caribbean Marketplace, which took the UK is also a major problem. It means all De Marchena Kaluche & Asociados
place in St Lucia in January and was attended Caribbean islands will pay a higher rate than Central Law, which he founded in 1992.
by more than 1,500 delegates. We produce an anywhere in the US, even though most of the
annual magazine for travel agents containing US is further away. This tax will really hurt the He is widely recognised as the legal
invaluable hotel listings. We also help hotels tourism industry – which in some places counsel with the most expertise in
become more sustainable, and we have the represents 30-70% of GDP of the country. the tourism sector of the Dominican
CHTA Education Foundation, which focuses on Republic.
human resource development of Caribbean
HOW CAN THE REGION WEATHER THE STORM.
nationals working in hospitality and tourism.
OF THE FINANCIAL DOWNTURN?.
Over the past 15 years Enrique has
Those countries with a more intelligent and represented many of the country’s
HOW DO AGENTS FIT IN?.
professional approach to marketing will be the principal tourism bodies, hotel chains,
Travel agents have been doing a magnificent ones that will do better out of the crisis. St Lucia, tour operators, airlines and theme
job and our Caribbean partners highly appreci- for example, has launched new branding, which parks. He has helped to develop
ate it. As part of our new approach we will is more authentic and nationalistic. You need to several of the most important tourism
endeavour to work more closely with travel innovate and take risks at times like these. projects in the Dominican Republic.
agents, as with tour operators. ■
caribbeanhotelandtourism.com
TTG Knowledge – January 2009
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