CHATA ta organisá di tres reunion di miembresia di 2021 Señalnan di un rekuperashon fuerte / CHATA Hosts Third Membership Meeting of 2021 Signs of a Strong Recovery Ahead

CHATA ta organisá di tres reunion di miembresia di 2021

Señalnan di un rekuperashon fuerte

 

Willemstad, 1 di òktober 2021 – Ayera CHATA a organisá su di tres reunion di miembresia di 2021, patrosiná pa su miembro TUI, ku e meta pa informá tur miembro tokante e último desaroyonan  den sektor. E reunion di miembresia bon bishitá a tuma lugá na Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino ku un set up segun medidanan di COVID ya ku CHATA ahinda ta praktiká medidanan di distansia sosial implementá pa gobièrnu. Durante e reunion di miembresia, CHATA su Direktor di Maneho, sra. Maria-Helena Seferina-Rojas, a duna un update kòrtiku di CHATA, Minister di Desaroyo Ekonómiko, sr. Cijntje a duna un diskurso breve tokante Kòrsou moviendo den direkshon di un rekuperashon di turismo resiliente i sostenibel, sra. Anjli Finessi, Tax Partner na BakerTilly, a presentá resultado di nan enkuesta, Caribbean Hospitality Financing 2021, i por último sr. Rick van der Pluijm, Direktor di TUI Dutch Caribbean i Surnam a duna un presentashon tokante sostenibilidat titulá ‘Small Efforts, Big Impact’, ‘Esfuerso Chikí, Impakto Grandi’. Diferente for di e reunion di miembresia regular, esaki a terminá ku e oportunidat pa miembro partisipá na diferente seshon chikí.

 

Pa kuminsá e reunion di miembresia, sra. Seferina-Rojas a yama bonbiní na tur presente i a introdusí e presentadónan i tambe e programa di mainta. Sra. Seferina-Rojas a papia tokante sifranan di rekuperashon den region di Karibe, indikando ku e region aki ta rekuperando basta lihe kompará ku otro paisnan. For di jüli 2021, Kòrsou ta number 5 riba e lista di paisnan den Karibe ku okupashon di mas haltu. Sra. Seferina-Rojas a sigui, presentando e sifranan di prestashon di industria ku e opservashon ku sifranan di rekuperashon ta fuerte i ku turistanan di estadia ta gastando mas ku promé ku COVID, kual ta un bon señal. Despues di un update breve tokante e oumento benidero di trafiko aero i e esfuersonan di rekuperashon pa Karibe i tambe lokalmente, el a enfatisá riba prolongashon di sosten di gobièrnu, invershon di kapital humano i kolaborashon.

 

Meta 1: Mehorá struktura di fondo di sektor i alsa koperashon publiko i privá. Esaki ta inkluí e transformashon di CTB pa CTA, lei di Level Playing Field, e dedikashon di gobièrnu pa turismo den tur ministerio, probechá di subsidionan Oropeo ku EU Desk ta ofresé, kende CHATA ta traha ku’né i un strategía di merkadeo di kresementu pa e destinashon.

 

Meta 2: Mehorá imagen, edukashon i kalidat di sektor. Esaki ta unkluí kampañanan di branding, inkorporá turismo den skolnan básiko, programanan práktiko di estudio, programanan di edukashon i akreditashon, rekluta i un mihó konekshon lokal i YDK afó.

 

Meta 3: Realisá kresementu enfokando riba areanan ku potensial. Esaki ta inkluí enfoke riba turismo di salú i bienestar, turismo di MICE i por último turismo di buseo.

 

Direktamente kontektá na CHATA su di dos meta, i promé ku pasa palabra pa e Minister di Desaroyo Ekonómiko, sra. Seferina-Rojas, a invitá ROC Mondriaan riba tarima pa firma un MOU entre CHATA i ROC Mondriaan. Kombiná estudio di vokashon ku e eksigensianan di sektor ta importante pa un i tur. Huntu ku Gobièrnu di Kòrsou i Hulanda, skolnan lokal i mas partner i tambe CHATA, nan lo yuda transformá Kòrsou den e hub edukashonal Karibense pa hospitalidat.

 

Sra. Seferina-Rojas a kompartí su honor di por introdusí e Minister nobo di Desaroyo Ekonómiko, Minister Cijntje, komo presentadó na e reunion, apesar ku esaki ta su promé siman komo Minister. Minister Cijntje a kompratí e importansia di turismo pa ekonomia i  speshalmente pa un rekuperashon sostenibel di e ekonomia di nos pais. Tur presente klaramente tabata di akuerdo ku e Minister na momentu ku el a kompartí ku tur hende mester invertí den Kòrsou su nashon turistiko. “Invertí den hende ta paga bèk ku e interes di mas haltu”.

 

E di tres presentadó di e reunion di miembresia tabata Anjli Finessi, Tax Partner na Bakertilly. El a presentá resultado di nan enkuesta, Caribbean Hospitality Financing 2021. E enkuesta a indiká ku hopi invershonista ta haña ku ta birando mas difisil pa hasi negoshi den Karibe. E preguntanan tabata tokante tipo di bienes, real estate siendo e punto di enfoke i tambe kaminda tin mayoria oportunidat den turismo den Karibe. E kontestanan tabata variá, pero pa gran parti di e respondentenan, tin oportunidat den area di boto, mihó opshon médiko i villanan independiente den resort.

 

E último presentashon a keda duná pa Rick van der Pluijm, Direktor di TUI Dutch Caribbean i Surnam. Sr. van der Pluijm su presentashon a enfoká riba sostenibilidat. Durante e presentashon el a indiká ku si sektor invertí tempu i konosementu den esnan ku aktualmente te desempleá, esaki lo resultá den un kresementu inklusivo pa trusimo i sostenibilidat. El a elaborá ku TUI a keda aserká, huntu ku varios otro partner, pa traha riba e proyekto na Mambo Beach. Ela terminá su presentashon poniendo enfasis ku trahando huntu i envertiendo tempu lo trese Kòrsou pa un futuro mas sostenibel.

 

Despues di tur presentashon, sra. Seferina-Rojas a konkluí e reunion yamando danki na tur miembro presente i tambe a duna instrukshon na esnan ku a registrá pa partisipá na e tres diferente seshonnan chikí.

 

CHATA lo sigui tene su miembronan informá riba tur desaroyo i ta kontentu di por traha huntu ku su partnernan pa logra su metanan.

 

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CHATA Hosts Third Membership Meeting of 2021

Signs of a Strong Recovery Ahead

 

Willemstad, October 1, 2021 – Yesterday, CHATA hosted its third quarterly Membership Meeting of 2021, powered by CHATA Member TUI, with the goal to inform all members regarding the recent developments within the sector. The well visited Membership Meeting was held at CHATA Member, Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino, with ‘covid-proof’ set up as CHATA is still practicing the social distancing measures implemented by the Government. During the Membership Meeting, CHATA’s Managing Director, Mrs. Maria-Helena Seferina-Rojas, gave a short CHATA update, Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Cijntje, gave a short speech about Curaçao moving towards a Resilient and Sustainable Tourism Recovery, Ms. Anjli Finessi, Tax Partner at BakerTilly presented survey findings on the Caribbean Hospitality Financing 2021 Survey and lastly, Mr. Rick van der Pluijm, Head of TUI Dutch Caribbean and Suriname gave a presentation about sustainability titled ‘Small Efforts, Big Impact’. Unlike the regular Membership Meeting, this one would conclude with the attendees splitting up in different break-out sessions. The break-out sessions included presentations and conversations from CHATA Member PBS, CHATA Partner ROC Mondriaan and CHATA’s Sustainability Task Force.

 

To start off the Membership Meeting, Mrs. Seferina-Rojas welcomed all guests to the quarterly meeting and introduced the guest speakers along with the agenda for the morning. Mrs. Seferina-Rojas discussed the recovery rate in the Caribbean region, stating that this region is bouncing back quite quickly compared to other countries. As of July 2021, Curaçao has been number 5 on the list with the highest occupancy rates in the Caribbean region. Mrs. Seferina-Rojas continued presenting the industry performance figures with main observation that there are strong recovery numbers and most prominently that stayover tourists are spending more than pre-covid era, which is a good sign for the industry. After giving a brief update on the increase upcoming airlift and the recovery efforts approach for the Caribbean as well as locally, she emphasized on prolonged Government support, Investment in human resources, and collaborations and partnerships. The presentation continued with CHATA’s contribution to the various recovery efforts for the sector. And In conclusion to CHATA’s presentation, Mrs. Seferina-Rojas presented the three main goals that the CHATA board have determined to focus on for the rest of 2021 and 2022.

 

Goal 1: Improve funding structure of the sector and enhance public private cooperation. This includes the transformation from CTB to CTA, the Level Playing Field legislation, the dedication of the Government for tourism cross all ministries, leveraging from EU subsidies that the EU Desk offers, which CHATA has been working closely with and an effective growth marketing strategy for the destination.

 

Goal 2: Improve branding, education, and quality of the sector. This includes branding campaigns, incorporating Tourism in elementary schools, work learn programs, education and accreditation programs and recruitment and improved matching locally and YDK abroad.

 

Goal 3: Realize growth by focusing on key growth potential. This includes focusing on health and wellness tourism, MICE tourism and finally Dive tourism.

 

Directly linked to CHATA’s strategy goal two, and before handing over the floor to the Minister of Economic Development, Mrs. Seferina-Rojas invited ROC Mondriaan on stage to sign an MOU between CHATA and ROC Mondriaan. Matching the vocational education level offering in hospitality and the sector requirements, better is important for all. Together with the Curacao and Dutch Government, local schools, and many local partners and CHATA they will help to turn Curaçao into a ‘Caribbean Educational Hub’ for hospitality.

 

Mrs. Seferina-Rojas introduced the newly appointed Minister of Economic Development, Minister Cijntje and stated to be honored to have him speak at the CHATA membership meeting even though he is in his first week in office. Minister Cijntje discussed the importance of tourism for the economy and especially for a sustainable recovery of the economy of our island. The room visibly agreed with the Minister when he shared that everyone should invest in Curaçao’s tourism nation, “Investing in people pays in the highest interest”.

 

The third presenter of the Membership Meeting was Anjli Finessi, Tax Partner of Bakertilly, presented the results of the Caribbean Hospitality Financing Survey 2021. The survey measured that many of the investors find that it’s becoming more difficult to do business in the Caribbean. The questions revolved around asset types, real estate being the main focus, and where opportunities in the Caribbean tourism industry lie. The answers varied, but for most of the respondents, opportunities lie in boating areas, better critical health option and stand-alone villas in resorts

 

The final presentation was given by Rick van der Pluijm, Head of TUI Dutch Caribbean and Suriname. Mr. van der Pluijm’s presentation focused on sustainability. During the presentation, he urges that if the sector invests time and knowledge in those who are currently unemployed, it will result in an inclusive growth for tourism and sustainability. He elaborated that TUI was approached, along with several other partners to work on the Mambo Beach Project. He concluded his presentation emphasizing that working together and investing time will bring Curaçao to a more sustainable future.

 

Once all the presentations were given, Mrs. Seferina-Rojas concluded the meeting and thanked all members for joining. She further instructed those who registered to participate in the three interesting breakout sessions.

 

CHATA will continue to update its members on the recent developments and looks forward to working together with all parties to achieve our goals.