In September 2005, CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization signed a historic agreement in which the two organizations pledged “full cooperation and collaboration between the public and private sectors of the Caribbean tourism industry in order for tourism development to proceed in a coherent, effective and efficient manner.”

This milestone followed a number of years in which both organizations walked similar, but disparate paths in promoting the region. “We already collaborate in a number of specific areas and already exchange directors on each other’s boards but we have stopped short of establishing a process under which our collaboration is pervasive and permanent,” said a statement written by both organizations.

Fifteen months later, CHTA and CTO launched the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC), a private, for profit entity registered in the Cayman Islands and designed to generate marketing to further support the promotion of the region. The new entity is jointly owned and operated by CTO and CHTA. The goals of the new company are:

• To promote and protect the Caribbean brand;
• To promote and protect the interests of the owners;
• To create synergies which might not otherwise go to the partners;
• To generate revenues for the benefit of the Caribbean people.

CaribbeanTravel.com is the definitive lodging web site for the greater Caribbean. The hotel listings and editorial content in CaribbeanTravel.com – The Magazine are replicated online at the website of the same name: www.caribbeantravel.com. This means travel agents can use the book and website in tandem – and consumers can access and browse the region’s lodging information online. As a tangible benefit of membership in CHTA, member hotels have priority listing, meaning that in each destination, CHTA member hotels are listed first, followed by non-member hotels.

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