The second annual HVS Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit just concluded in the Bahamas. This CHICOS Conference is quickly becoming one of the major investment conferences in the Caribbean and was held at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau Bahamas. Attending on Anguilla’s behalf was Parliamentary Secretary Tourism, Hon. Haydn Hughes.
Hughes was also a speaker at the event. He was a member of a panel moderated by Mr. Glenn Haussman, Editor-in-Chief of Hotel Interactive. The panel included Mr. Nikheel Advani, Chief Operating Officer and Principal of Grace Bay Resorts, Mr. Paul Burke, Chief Operating Officer of Kerzner International, Mr. Louis Alicea, Director of Development for the Wyndham Hotel Group and Mr. Alejandro Acevedo, Vice President of Development for Marriott International. The discussion topic was “Mastering the rebound”. The panelist discussed how to promote the Caribbean destinations, leveraging opportunity while keeping expenses in check. Mr. Hughes is also a member of the HVS Caribbean Tourism Task force.
The Conference was held over two days and speakers included Mr. Parris Jordan, Managing Director of HVS Caribbean, Mr. Adam Rosenberg, Managing Director and global head of gaming for Goldman Sachs, Ms. Amy Ironmonger of K & L Gates LLP, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Government of the Bahamas, Dr. Avery Shenfeld, Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, Mr. Chad Meyerson, Director of Global Sales for JetBlue Airways, Mr. Colin Brathwaite, Associate Director of Hospitality and Real Estate for CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, Mr. David Brillembourg, Chairman and CEO of the Brilla Group, Mr. David Kosoy, BA, JD, Chairman of Sterling Financial Group Inc, Mr. Fausto Barba, Vice President of Finance and Development of the Capella Hotel Group, Hon. Khaalis Rolle, Minister of Investments, Government of Bahamas, Mr. Jeremy Tang, Managing Director of Hemingway Capital, Mr. Lance Shaner, Chairman and CEO of Shaner Group, Mr. Mark Durliat, CEO and Principal of Grace Bay Resorts, Mr. Matt Norton Esq. Partner K & L Gates LLP, Mr. Sagar Desai, Director of Acquisitions & Development for the Viceroy Hotel Group, Mr. Robert Sands, Seniour Vice President of the Baha Mar Resorts, Mr. Nicholas Hecker, Principal of Och-Ziff, Mr. Steve Carvell, Associate Dean of Cornell University, Mr. Tim Ashby, CEO of the Federal Regularory Compliance Services, Mr. Martyn Bould, Chairman of Rider Levett Bucknall (Caribbean) Ltd and many others.
In remarks to the presenters and speakers, Mr. Jordan is quoted as saying, “On behalf of our entire HVS CHICOS team, thank you for participating in this year’s Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit. In its second year CHICOS is gaining momentum and greater credibility in both the Caribbean region and worldwide, and your support has directly affected this growth. Next year’s conference will take place November 7th and 8th, 2013 at the Hard Rock Punta Cana in the beautiful Dominican Republic. We would love to benefit from your involvement next year and continue to witness together the success and growth of CHICOS. During this next year, we continue to progress and enlist government involvement with our four task forces (Legal, Marketing, Human Resource, and Airlift).”
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
