The leadership of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has congratulated Donald Trump on his shock election win and says it is ‘committed’ to working with the Trump administration to further strengthen tourism ties.
In a letter to the President-elect CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO Frank Comito wrote: "Tourism is a common thread which binds the Caribbean and the United States, generating employment, entrepreneurial activity and foreign exchange for our region while contributing significantly to US exports and economic activity,"
"We wish you great success in your presidency and look forward to working with the United States government towards making tourism a far greater force to the benefit of our industry and the people of the Caribbean and the United States of America."
CHTA says tourism accounts for 13.3% of employment region-wide and for some countries the tourism industry accounts for a vast majority of GDP.
CHTA has been actively involved in pushing for an end to the US-Cuba trade embargo, but this now remains uncertain based on Trump’s comments while on the campaign trail.
"We will cancel Obama’s one-sided Cuban deal, made by executive order, if we do not get the deal that we want and the deal that people living in Cuba and here deserve, including protecting religious and political freedom," Trump told Florida supporters last month.
