#MyCHTA – Words from your President

CHTA President, Patricia Affonso-Dass, delivers powerful words and provides important information for CHTA members with a call to unite and act for the benefit of all. During the 2019 Annual General Meeting, she touched upon CHTA’s efforts and called for greater engagement, ending her remarks with the following inspirational and encouraging words:

Any membership organization is only as strong or effective as the members who are its DNA, its life force.  You – our members, volunteer leadership, Association Executives and National Associations are the vital organs of the body that is the CHTA and like a human body it cannot survive or thrive without healthy organs.  A healthy, vibrant, sustainable CHTA is impossible without the engagement of the wider membership and the active engagement of all of you.

My fervent desire, is that over the coming year, as we continue the work of transforming our association to face the challenges that affect us all, that you relook at the manner in which you or your local association has engaged with CHTA and to provide your thoughts and feedback on the ways in which you believe we can and should be serving you better, but maybe more importantly, the ways in which you  can play an active role.  Sometimes it is as simple as taking the time to read the newsletter, to like or share a social media post, to respond to a survey, or offer a couple hours of your time each month to participate on a committee or task force.  This is your association – YOU ARE CHTA.

In continuing to expand and share Patricia’s message and highlight the importance of association members recognizing that they “are CHTA”, the association is launching the #MyCHTA campaign with the goal of encouraging engagement and a true sense of ownership from all members.

In addition to these inspiring remarks, Patricia expands on this message of engagement and inclusion presenting on “The Changing Trends in Global Tourism: Implications for Jamaica & the Region” which highlighted sound data and increased awareness of the changing demographic that is looking to “participate” more in the local culture of their holiday surroundings. She shared the following:

A growing number of guests want to perform a meaningful activity, work or make a contribution to the places they visit while on holiday rather than just relax or lie on a beach, and many of those who can afford to stay wherever they like are opting for “a more authentic, real, experience” and seeking out places that are anything but traditional or that fit the expected mold of luxury. 

In 2016, 69% of travelers globally planned on trying something new, 15% wanted to try adventure travel for the first time, and 47% said they have visited destinations because of the people and culture of specific countries. 

An aging global population has resulted in a whole new segment of silver hair tourists, (travelers over the age of 60), now making up over 12% of the world’s population, and by 2050 will exceed 100 Million people.  They have healthy disposable incomes, are in generally good health, have time to travel and tend to spend more when they do. 

Whether we are discussing member engagement within an association or broader travel trends that are being seen throughout the world, Patricia has a similar message—connect, engage and give back.  We need to connect at all levels with our industry, our peers and our guests to strengthen and solidify the tourism product in the Caribbean.

Be on the lookout as CHTA rolls out the #MyCHTA initiative and share ways you think we can improve our collaborative outreach and engagement with all our stakeholders and initiatives which are working for you and your local hotel and tourism association!  Reach out to CHTA on social, email or call us and reference #MyCHTA with your idea or contribution.