With the generous financial support of businesses and individuals globally and within the Caribbean, CHTA has been able to provide financial assistance for a range of initiatives aimed at restoring the economic viability of tourism interests, employees and their families which have been impacted by major natural disasters.
CHTA takes a dual approach to supporting destinations in their recovery, first with emergency relief, facilitating donations by CHTA members and friends of Caribbean tourism to non-profits and relief agencies designated by the national hotel and tourism association (NHTA) in the affected destinations. Concurrently, looking at the mid-long term recovery needs, and working with the NHTAs in the impacted destinations, recovery needs and specific areas of support are identified by the CHTA and NHTA. Funds are then directed to these areas and ongoing follow-up is undertaken to ensure the funds are used for the intended purposes.
Following is a snapshot of some of the key initiatives which CHTA has supported in recent years:
Marketing Support 

-Waiving registration fees to attend Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) 

-Hosting Caribbean Travel Marketplace in impacted destination 12 weeks after major disaster (Puerto Rico) 

-Providing complimentary public relations support to impacted destinations at CTM 

Destination Support 

-Association and Leadership Capacity Training – sponsoring DHTA’s Action Through Collaboration in Tourism leadership development series (Dominica)

-Publication of National Events Calendar – assisting with production of calendar to stimulate visitor support for local activities (St. Maarten)

-Destination Symposium – conducted by NHTA to support tourism recovery efforts (U.S. Virgin Islands) 

-Trade Expo and Rebuilders Emporium – support for event to facilitate local recovery and rebuilding efforts (British Virgin Islands) 

-Yacht Moorings – support to replace/repair hurricane damaged moorings and install new moorings and provide entrepreneurial support to manage/maintain them (Dominica)

Back to Work Support

-Job Bank – creation of online bank for employers to post vacancies and displaced employees to post qualifications 

-Culinary School Restoration – helping to rebuild school destroyed by earthquake and providing training and internships for 16 new culinarians (Haiti) 

-Vendor Support – Contracting with local vendors from impacted areas to produce tote bags and gift items for inclusion in welcoming packages at CTM (Bahamas) 

-Training and Certification of Pool Handlers – enabling their continued role in quality control and keeping pool facilities operational (Anguilla)

-Training Support – based upon needs identified by the NHTA (Puerto Rico) 

-Stress Management Training – Conducted series of workshops for employees impacted by hurricanes (Anguilla, St. Maaren, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands) 

-Marine Trades Workshop – assisting with vocational training for new positions in boat repairs, servicing and restoration (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Environmental Initiatives

-Seeds of Love – Supported the planting of thousands of trees (British Virgin Islands) 

-Mission for Mangroves – Innovated ‘adopt-a-mangrove’ initiative restoring mangroves, engaging tourists, and support taxi/tour operators (Bahamas)

-EPIC – Eco-Tourism Project – supported development for the creation of an environmental attraction/trails (St. Maarten)

Community Initiatives 

-Restoration of School – Restoring an elementary school servicing children of employees working in a nearby hotel, which suffered extensive damage from a storm’s mudslide. (Dominica)

-School Supplies – Providing backpacks and supplies for children of employees impacted by hurricane (Bahamas)

-Kalinago Heritage Center – Supporting restoration and interpretive visitors center destroyed by hurricane (Dominica)

-Kids at Sea Programme – supporting youth training and awareness projects to prepare them for employment in the marine industry (St. Maarten)

-Agriculture Awareness and Culinary Project – provided support for farm and farm-to-table initiative (Puerto Rico)