ThePresident of the Cayman Islands Hotel & Condominium Associaion(CIHCA) Mr. William Conolly recently outlined the Association'svision for the future of tourism in Cayman in his well receivedwelcoming speech at the 15th annual Marketplace conference.In the presence of the Hon. Thomas Jefferson, the Minister ofTourism, Director of Tourism Angela Martins and over 150 participantsincluding top wholesalers and travel press from around the world,he explained that this year's theme- One vision beyond 2000, Businessas Usual - represented the CIHCA's commitment to the long termdevelopment of the tourism industry and its desire to presenta united message to 'drive' occupancy in Cayman.
Mr. Conolly explained that while the CIHCA has been representingits membership of hotels, condos, watersport operartors, restaurants,car rentals, and many other tourism related companies for over30 years, he was saddened to report that four of its key membershiphad felt it necessary to leave to create their own association.
He went on to warn of the danger of such fragmentation and emphasizedthat the CIHCA continues to leave its doors open to any companythat would like to join or rejoin the association, and extendeda personal invitation to the four larger hotels; i.e. Marriott,Hyatt, Westin, and Treasure Island Resort that have recently brokenaway.
He also emphasized that the CIHCA is about promoting tourism inCayman, not gaining political strength, and with that in mind,for the first time non-members of the CIHCA had been invited toparticipate in this year's Marketplace.
Mr. Conolly then went on to explain that the theme 'Business asUsual' suggested that Tourism related companies cannot affordto continue to conduct business in the same old way but must createnew opportunities by looking 'outside the box'.
Some of his suggestions included:
* A focus on better training for the whole workforce, but in particularfocusing on the upward mobility of Caymanians.
* The careful management of Cayman's tourism product, includingthe possibility of less cruise ships and a moratorium on new hotelsin the Seven Mile Beach area.
* The capitalization of opportunities provided by the emergenceE-business
Mr. Conolly concluded his speech by emphasizing the need to changefrom the traditional concepts of tourism saying that "intomorrow's world these concepts will require some fundamentaladjustments to provide market 'spaces' rather than places, wherethe way in which we operate is subject to rapid and constant changes"and that teamwork, consolidation, strategic alliances with travelpartners, a unified vision and a long term outlook must serveto meet these far reaching challenges.
The Cayman Islands Hotel & Condominum Association and itssubsidiary companies (e.g. Cayman Tourism Association) is theNational Tourism Association for the Cayman Islands, and is amember of CHA, ASTA, IHRA, AHMA, and the Chamber of Commerce.