President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Nicola Madden-Greig is looking forward to working with a new slate of vice presidents as the CHTA moves to tackle issues that impact tourism in the region.
For the period 2022-2024, four new VPs have been added to the CHTA and will support Madden-Greig in her role at the helm. The positions were filled at the organization’s annual general meeting in November.
“I look forward to working closely with these incredible leaders,” said Madden-Greig, who explained that they represent a group with the right combination of “expertise, experience and energy” to take the regional association forward over the next two years.
Madden-Greig, who has served the association with distinction over the past year – including leading CHTA’s production of the 40th Caribbean Travel Marketplace in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as mounting the first annual Caribbean Travel Forum – said emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic there is greater recognition of the need to embrace continued learning, collaboration and innovation to take Caribbean tourism to the next level.
“It is the intention of the CHTA Executive in 2023 to forge new partnerships towards tackling the climate crisis, leveraging technology, and shepherding more Caribbean entrepreneurs along the path towards sustainable wealth creation across the region,” she stated. Madden-Greig is Group Director of Marketing for the Courtleigh Hospitality Group in Jamaica.
St Lucian hotelier Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts Group was confirmed as the new First Vice President. The award-winning Destang is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst and a former president of the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association.
Second Vice President is Gregor Nassief, Chairman & CEO of GEMS Holdings Limited, which owns the popular Secret Bay and Fort Young Hotel in Dominica. Nassief previously served as Deputy Chairman of Discover Dominica Authority and president of the Dominica Hotel & Tourism Association.
The Third Vice President is Federico Moreno-Nickerson, Vice President of Development for AMResorts/Apple Leisure Group. Originally from Mexico, Moreno-Nickerson has served on CHTA’s Executive Committee since 2017. His vast experience of more than 30 years in the hospitality industry includes being a founding member of the World Heritage Alliance between Expedia Inc and the United Nations Foundation.
Paola Rainieri de Diaz has been named CHTA’s Fourth Vice President. She is past President of the Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), and a Chief Marketing Officer for Grupo Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
Bill Clegg, a long-time supporter of CHTA, will continue to serve as Fifth Vice President. As Regional Director, Franchise Development at Best Western Hotels & Resorts, he is responsible for the mid-Atlantic and Caribbean regions. Prior to that he served for more than two decades in various executive leadership roles with Choice Hotels.
Jim Hepple, the proprietor of Tourism Analytics, whose tourism experience spans the length and breadth of the Caribbean, remains treasurer of CHTA. A former president and CEO of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, the Aruba-based Hepple has served numerous tourism agencies in the region at the highest executive level.
