CARIBBEAN HOTEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATION PRAISES JAMAICA HOTEL & TOURIST ASSOCIATION INITIATIVE, REPORT SHOWING IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AS ECONOMIC DRIVER

            THE CARIBBEAN (March 21, 2012) - The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) applauds the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) for its lead in tourism research following the release yesterday of a most comprehensive tourism research paper titled: "Travel & Tourism as a Driver of Economic Development in Jamaica."  The research was conducted by Oxford Economics and presented by Adam Sacks, president Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, at a press conference hosted by JHTA.

            "Commissioning such a definitive examination of tourism's contribution to the Jamaican economy will not only benefit those within the industry but also the country as a whole," said Josef  Forstmayr, CHTA president, adding: 

            "CHTA will be encouraging its other member countries to commission the same study for their own tourism industries and CHTA is already in discussions with Tourism Economics to undertake the same research for the Caribbean as a region. This report dovetails perfectly with our 'Tourism Is Key' advocacy program and will drive our new campaign later this year."

            The 46-page report covers such key areas as, The Economic Role of Tourism in Jamaica, Tourism Incentives and Tax Reform, Marketing, and Challenges Facing Tourism in Jamaica, all of which are followed by a summary with recommendations.

            Among the key findings and observations are:

• The overall Jamaican economy enjoys strong linkages with tourism, driving 15% of all construction, 20% of all manufacturing and 21% of all agriculture/fishing.
• 71% of hotel and restaurant revenue remained on-island (debunking the myth of leakage offshore).
• In 2012 Jamaica's travel and tourism industry contributed JA$38 billion in tax revenue; 20.4% of all government revenue.
• Tourism contributes 50% of all Jamaican exports.

            The report noted that the hotel sector has a relatively high tax burden as compared to regional comparisons.  The incentives offered to the industry have been an essential part of maintaining growth while they remain generally less generous than those offered across the Caribbean.  

            One of the key findings which have been promoted extensively with the current CHTA "Tourism is Key" campaign is a statement in the report which finds: "When factoring in linkages, the tax contribution of tourism is greater than any other industry and greater than its contribution to GDP."

            Summary findings of the report include:

            ■ Tourism is the core driver of the Jamaican economy.

            ■ Tourism has posted consistent growth, even with the rest of the region in decline.

            ■ Tourism is Jamaica's # 1 industry in absolute size.

            ■ Tourism is Jamaica's #1 export sector.

            Tourism is more than just hotels, restaurants, tour operators, retailers, and other entities  providing services directly to visitors. The supply chain for tourism in Jamaica is more robust than in many Caribbean islands. Furthermore, the incomes earned by the 106,024 Jamaican residents employed in the tourism industry are largely spent within the local economy, generating additional economic activity.

            Access to the full report will be available on Friday March 23.  Please go to the CHTA website: http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com, the JHTA website:http://www.JHTA.org and http://www.TourismIsKey.com.

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) facilitates the full potential of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry by serving members' needs and building partnerships in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.  Celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 2012, CHTA is the voice of the Caribbean hospitality industry for the development of the region in the highly competitive and sophisticated environment of international tourism. Today, tourism is widely recognized as a pivotal industry in the economy of the region - and CHTA functions as the common denominator for this industry in a region of diverse nationalities, languages and styles, identifying mutual problems and marshalling the resources of the active and allied members to devise solutions. CHTA represents all facets of the hospitality industry with more than 725 member hotels and 375 allied members.

For more information, visit http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.  Follow CHTA on Facebook www.Facebook.com/CaribbeanHotelandTourismAssociation and Twitter www.Twitter.com/CHTAFeeds.

###

DAWN BEACH CLUB IN ST. MAARTEN NAMED 'BEST TIMESHARE RESORT - NORTH AMERICA' BY PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE

Miami, FL, March 20, 2012 - Dawn Beach Club in St. Maarten was named "Best Timeshare Resort - North America" by Perspective Magazine at the recent GNEX 2012 - Timeshare and Fractional Global Networking Expo in Cancun, Mexico. The event featured shared ownership industry professionals representing more than 175 companies from around the world. The awards, presented at a gala dinner, were chosen through a combination of online voting and judging by a panel of industry experts.

"It is an honor to be recognized as the Perspective Magazine 'Best Timeshare Resort' in the North America category. Since the resort launched in 2010 as a shared ownership property, everyone has worked very hard to provide our owners with an unparalleled vacation experience so we are very proud to receive this achievement in such as short time. We thank Interval International for nominating us in this category and appreciate the support they have given us with the launch of the resort," said Alejandra Padin, director of sales, Dawn Beach Club. 

            "Dawn Beach Club offers an exceptional mix of amenities and services in one of the most exciting, cosmopolitan islands in the Caribbean. The property deserves all of the accolades that come with the "Best Timeshare Resort" title and I am confident that the wonderful team at Dawn Beach will continue to provide memorable vacation experiences to Interval members for years to come," said Neil Kolton, director Caribbean and Florida, resort sales and service, Interval International."

The resort buildings are terraced into the beachfront terrain providing beautiful ocean views from virtually all units. Each offers a spacious 1,800 sq. ft. floor plan with stainless steel appliances, top-of-the-line furnishings, granite countertops, 400-thread count sheets, and teak finishes. Modern comforts, including satellite-enabled flat screen TVs and wireless Internet, keep owners connected in a get-away-from-it-all setting. The property is the only three-bedroom resort on St. Maarten with all units offering underground parking.  

Dawn Beach Club is situated directly adjacent to the full-service Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa and owners and guests also enjoy full access to the hotel's broad range of amenities.

Dawn Beach Club has received the Interval International Premier Resort^®designation, which is the highest level of recognition an affiliated resort can achieve in the Interval network.  The annual award recognizes resorts that provide outstanding vacation experiences with state-of-the-art conveniences, and modern features and appointments.

 

# # #