p12 CHTA Jan 22 20/1/10 12:58 Page 12
news conference report
ttglive.com
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism
Association Marketplace
January 10-12 ■ Puerto Rico Convention Center ■ San Juan
APD, rates and expansion plans were on the agenda at the
SECRETS AND DREAMS.
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association annual Marketplace
Dom Rep project unveiled
conference. Philippa Jacks reports from Puerto Rico
AM RESORTS, the parent
company of hotel brands
APD: the Bermuda plan
Secrets and Dreams Resorts,
Zoetry Resorts, and Golden
Bear, is to continue expan-
sion in 2010.
BERMUDA could be the tax was no higher for Speaking at CHTA Market-
recognised as the flights to the Caribbean place in Puerto Rico, senior
“capital” of the than to the US. director of sales Matt Mullen
Caribbean, bringing The minister said there (left) revealed AM Resorts
the islands from have been estimates that has a plot of land in the Cap
band B into band C Jamaica could see a tourism Cana region of the Dominican Republic, and
under the UK’s Air downturn of up to 10%, will start work on a 16-month, four-hotel project
Passenger Duty scheme. directly attributable to the in March.
Jamaica tourism minister increased APD, if the “Cap Cana is the most important development
Edmund Bartlett said the November rise goes ahead. in the Caribbean. It has without doubt one of the
idea has been proposed to The drop would mean best beaches in the world,” he said.
the UK government and is more government spending Mullen said a Secrets is to open in Huatulco,
currently being considered. on tourism marketing, he and a Secrets and a Dreams in Puerta Vallarta,
“We understand that the said. “It’s going to cost by the end of this year.
British government has an already cash-strapped He added there was scope for further develop-
established a technical Jamaican economy another ment in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and
team to determine if it can Hamilton, Bermuda: new Caribbean capital? 15-20% of our budget.” that the company was also in talks of “branching
be done. The sense we get is He confirmed that he and out”, naming Aruba as a strong possibility.
they are interested in doing it,” he said. other representatives of the region are planning “We go where it works, where there’s airlift,”
In November, a second planned increase in to return to the UK in the coming months. he said. “But we’re also into developing a
APD – which is determined by the distance of a CHTA director general Alec Sanguinetti said country. In Huatulco, there wasn’t a lot of airlift
country’s capital city from London – will see pas- his organisation had “not given up on APD”, and because there weren’t a lot of hotels. Someone’s
sengers pay more tax to fly to the Caribbean was still working with the Caribbean Tourism got to bounce first. So we’re bouncing.”
than to US destinations which are further away. Organisation on a letter-writing campaign, after
Having Bermuda recognised as the capital of a identifying 41 seats in the UK elections that are
“community of common interest” would mean heavily influenced by the Caribbean diaspora.
CARIBBEAN EXPANSION.
IHG: new hotels in 2010
PRICING.
Caribbean and Latin America, learnt some
SuperClubs to climb back
valuable lessons in 2009. INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group is to open
from 2009’s rate cuts
“We did a lot in terms of cost management another three properties in the Caribbean by the
and cutting expenses, and we came out in a bet- end of the 2010.
ter net position,” he said. The group, which includes the Crowne Plaza,
SUPERCLUBS is planning to increase its rates This summer will see the opening of Breezes Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites brands,
again after making cuts in 2009. Buzios in Brazil, the second Breezes resort in revealed at CHTA Marketplace that it plans to
“Our overall average rates declined 15% the country. grow from 10 to 13 properties within a year.
compared with the previous year,” said Super- Pennicook hinted Colombia could be next in Two hotels in Antigua have signed contracts to
Clubs president Paul Pennicook. “We’re trying to line for future expansion. “We’ve sniffed around be converted into Crowne Plaza properties,
inch the rates back up, and initial indications are Cartagena,” he said. “And we haven’t given up representing 400 beds between them. A Grenada
that we will be able to do that.” on elsewhere in the Caribbean either.” hotel is to become a Holiday Inn.
He said the company, which operates Breezes At the end last year, IHG merged its Latin
Resorts and Rooms properties across the ■ More conference news at ttglive.com America and Caribbean offices.
12 22.01.2010
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76