TCI: Hard work happens each day, says new President of TC Hotel and Tourism Association; Strategic Action Plan unveiled

#Providenciales, March 28, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – New president, new vice-president, strategic plan, hospitality university and a promise for greater public engagement were among the key announcements today by the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, TCHTA.

Turks and Caicos media houses were invited to the Sensota Villa in Leeward Palms. A luxury retreat which ideally captures the pristine beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ iconic waters and which served as a fitting backdrop to an interesting interview session with the incoming and outgoing executives.

Todd Foss of Grace Bay Car Rentals is the new president. Taparehi Tibble of COMO Parrot Cay is the new Vice President and the pair was elected with other executives at an annual general meeting of the TCHTA held Tuesday night.

The meeting also welcomed two guest speakers from St. Lucia and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

“Last night, our guests and expert speakers told us that the Caribbean in general that arrivals and business is down two percent.  I think the lesson in that is that Tourism is an industry and industries can come and go if you don’t protect them. So, I feel the role of this Association and all of the great people within it, is to ensure the strength of our industry because unfortunately it is the only one on our island that contributes 85 percent of our gross domestic product (GDP).” said Todd Foss, TCHTA – President.

Turks and Caicos tourism is doing well, said Foss, who reminded that the destination is still able to command the highest room rates in the Caribbean region.  Still, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association executives from St. Lucia were in country to encourage TCI destination executives to take nothing for granted.

“We are going to be guided with that Strategic Plan. I think it is well thought out and it is going to help the industry grow and I think it is an important document to help guide our industry forward.  It is all encompassing, it is guiding our Association and how we get things done.” 

Executives in the new TCHTA board have been given specific jobs to manage sub-committees which will now include Allied members; there will be clear benchmarks and deliverables to satisfy the goals of the Strategic Action Plan.

The new TCHTA vice president, who hails from New Zealand and Polynesia – on the other side of the planet – responded to questions on the potential of attracting guests from much, much further afield.

 “The US is a key market for the country and obviously we have to keep focusing on that as well because of the accessibility. So what we really need is to get more flights into the country and make more accessibility and so we need to continue talks with the likes of British Airways and some of the longer haul destinations…” Taparehi Tibble, Managing Director – COMO Parrot Cay.

Mr. Tibble has 20-years of resort managerial expertise from around the world and believes smart alliances can support the desire for and achieve the fruition of more diversified air linkages and long stay visitors.

There are over 250 members and allied members of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association.

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