Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands:
A HISTORIC agreement has been signed by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). The two organisations have 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 follows a number of years in which both organisations walked similar, but disparate paths in promoting the region.
It took two women to make this pact a reality; the dynamic Berthia Parle, president of the CHA and the vibrant Pamela C. Richards, chairman of the CTO.
HISTORIC MOU
"It's Caribbean tourism and the people in the region that are going to benefit from this collaboration," Mrs. Parle told The Gleaner after the signing. "One thing that we have already decided to do to demonstrate the coming together of CTO and CHA is to agree on a single logo that will clearly promote the Caribbean brand," she added.
What makes this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) so historic is the fact that the Caribbean Travel Association (now CTO) created CHA as a hotel committee in 1959, and the latter went on its own in 1962. The two organisations held one annual joint conference through to the late 1970s.
Both organisations already collaborate in a number of specific areas and already exchange directors on each other's boards, but had stopped short of establishing a process under which alliance is pervasive and permanent.
MOVING AS CARIB BODY
The 14-point MoU was signed by the two ladies during a special media luncheon at Government House in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands on Sunday afternoon.
"We have put together this memorandum of understanding so that we can move forward as one Caribbean because it makes us stronger together," said Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, secretary general of the CTO.
"We will create a business development unit so that we can provide more benefits for all our members without raising fees," Vanderpool-Wallace said. "CTO is an organisation in transition and you are going to see a fusion into a single website promoting Caribbean tourism," he added.
"CTO member governments are very pleased to be able to work together with our private sector partners to promote tourism to our region," said Pamela Richards, CTO chairman and U.S. Virgin Island's commissioner of tourism. "It is our mandate and intent to do everything we can to build tourism as it benefits the people of the Caribbean region," she added.
