The Caribbean Lodge and Tourism Affiliation (CHTA) is mourning the passing of John Bell, its first govt director, and the guiding drive of the affiliation (previously CHA) for shut to a few a long time.
Underneath his dynamic and pioneering management, the affiliation framed the important thing position of tourism within the economies of the Caribbean and elevated the group from its standing as a conventional commerce affiliation to being the premier tourism group for the Caribbean’s personal sector.
Along with establishing a complete footprint for the affiliation and bringing collectively the lodge and tourism associations throughout the area, Bell is credited with driving membership of, and curiosity in, the work of CHTA.
He guided the creation of Caribbean Journey Market, the area’s premier advertising and marketing and networking occasion, which brings collectively consumers and sellers of the area’s tourism services and products; the Style of the Caribbean culinary occasion; the Management Convention for Nationwide Lodge and Tourism Affiliation executives; the Caribbean Lodge & Tourism Funding Convention; the Caribbean Lodge Trade Convention (CHIC); Caribbean Gold E book; Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), the area’s pioneering environmental group; Caribbean Lodge Coaching Institute (CHTI); in addition to what’s now often known as the Caribbean Lodge and Tourism Training Basis (CHTAEF). Bell’s imaginative and prescient and management had been instrumental in creating these applications, every of which was a pioneering initiative on the time and helped to form, strengthen and develop the business and the affiliation’s membership.
Most of those initiatives proceed to learn the business immediately, serving as a long-lasting legacy to Bell’s work, in response to CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig, who asserted that it was on the shoulders of giants like John Bell that the CHTA grew to be seen as a key participant within the sustainable growth of tourism within the area and all over the world, as evidenced by his election as President of the Worldwide Lodge & Restaurant Affiliation for 2003-2005.
Vanessa Ledesma, Appearing CEO and Director Common of CHTA, remembered Bell, who was honored with CHTA’s Icon of Hospitality Award in 2019 and the 2022 CHRIS Lifetime Achievement Award, as harboring a ardour for the event of nationwide lodge and tourism associations together with membership.
“Throughout his tenure, visits to member locations had been key, and he made connections with members on the bottom. He was a real affiliation govt however foremost he was a pacesetter who laid out the imaginative and prescient and path resulting in the institution of CHTA because the regional voice for the personal sector,” stated Ledesma, who described Bell as an efficient chief and Caribbean ambassador.
Frank Comito, CHTA’s former CEO and Director Common, pointed to Bell’s contribution to his personal growth, describing him as a visionary who made pioneering contributions in areas from sustainable tourism and advertising and marketing to training and coaching over the a long time. “We’ve misplaced however we’ve got gained,” stated Comito, who famous that “if I can identify the highest 5 most influential individuals in tourism, public or personal sector and its growth within the Caribbean over the past 50 to 60 years, John Bell is in there unquestionably.”
The Trinidad-based Bell, previous to his management of CHTA, was President of the Trinidad and Tobago Lodge and Tourism Affiliation (1971-1974); Common Supervisor of Bel Air Lodge in Trinidad (1967-1974); and Assistant Supervisor of Blue Lagoon Lodge, St. Vincent (1964-1967). He started his tenure at CHA in 1974 as the primary govt director and chairman of the Small Lodges Advisory Council.
