Up Front
Tourist Organisations
agree to merge
Members of the two tourism organsations, the Cayman Islands Hoteland Condominium Association (CIHCA) and the Cayman Tourism Alliance(CTA) voted unanimously to amalgamate and form a new association called the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, during a jointmeeting on Wednesday, 28 March at the Marriott Hotel.
Thirty-three CIHCA members and 78 CTA membersattended the meeting. A statement is expected early next weekfrom the respective presidents, Mr. William Conolly, CIHCA, andMr. Rod McDowell, CTA, with details of this historic and longanticipated merger.
Both organisation agreed in principle tomerge by 31 March after Minister of Tourism, Hon. McKeeva Bush,mandated that course of action late last year "for the benefitof the country."
Tourism Minister Bush told the representativesof the two bodies that there was no room for both organisationsand that the regional Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) recognisedonly one umbrella organisation at a meeting held 24 November.
CIHCA, which has been around for 30 years,is already recognised by CHA as well as by other internationalindustry bodies. CTA was formed just over a year ago and includesrepresentatives of the hotels, condominiums, restaurants, transport,watersports and allied trades..