Caribbean tourism operators must become more adaptable to ensure success, says president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Karolin Troubetzkoy.
Hoteliers and tour companies must ‘open eyes to the bigger picture, which is so important if we want to succeed not only as individual businesses and destinations but also as a region,’ Troubetzkoy said.
At a media briefing to unveil the second Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum, she said the challenges and significant changes afoot during 2016 require a more innovative, proactive approach.
"At CHIEF there will be a healthy dose of peer-to-peer exchanges to flush out ideas and best practices. There is no doubt that Caribbean hotels and destinations which adapt to change and are prepared to deal with uncertainty are better positioned to come out ahead," Troubetzkoy said.
Up for discussion at CHIEF, which takes place in Puerto Rico next month, is the impact of the Zika virus, Brexit and the current fear of terrorism globally.
Hoteliers will also discuss the effect of changing customer preferences fueled by the growing sharing economy lead by platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway.
The Caribbean region expects to surpass 30 million visitors for the first time this year.
