Tourism body prepares for annual board elections

(CNS): With the new fiscal year for the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) on the horizon the industry body is preparing for its annual elections for the new board of directors. With the exception of three of the top voted seats these director’s posts turn over annually and any CITA member whose business is in good standing with the Association, and has been a member for at least one year is eligible to be nominated with the support of five member signatures. There are thirteen board seats available representing the various CITA sectors: hotel, condos, water-sports, transportation, restaurants, cruise, Sister Islands, and allied sector which represents the businesses which are directly or indirectly supported by tourism such as retailers and developers.

The organisation said that there are very few businesses on the island that are not supported by tourism in one way or another as the sector is one of the two economic pillars of the Cayman Islands. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the amalgamation of the tourism bodies (Restaurant Association, Watersports Association and Hotel & Condo Association) to become the Cayman Islands Tourism Association.

“By becoming a member of CITA and or a board member you aid CITA (which) continues to lobby the Cayman Islands Government on a number of tourism objectives to benefit you, your business and the Cayman Islands.” said Trina Savage- Christian, CITA’s Executive Director.

After ten years as a more unified body it continues to be the voice of the private sector representing the most tourism businesses, the organisation stated in a release. CITA works on items such as increasing Air Arrivals, implementation of the National Conservation Law, input on the department of tourism’s marketing efforts, the cruise port development and pro-business measures including ease of doing business, reducing cost of doing business and ease of Immigration. CITA listens, it said to the membership community to provide what the industry needs to retain and generate new business.

The board sets goals for the year ahead with particular focus on lobbying government over important issues such as safety, air arrivals, increasing the value and ROI from government’s marketing dollars and tourism training & development.

The elections are hosted by the Marriott Grand Cayman Resort from 3:30pm – 5:30pm on April 14th 2011. All CITA Members are welcome to attend this event and paid members will be eligible to vote for 2010/11’s board of directors. A State of the Industry Presentation will also be shown as well as highlights from the 2010/11 year. CITA also looks forward to welcoming new members to this event. For more information persons can contact the CITA at 949-8522 or email membership@cita.ky

The nominations are as follows:

Hotel (2 seats open)
Nadia Hardie (Sunshine Suites)
Enrique Tasende (Marriott)
Arie Barendrecht (Cobalt Coast)
Condo Villa (1 seat open)
(Serving a 2nd Year) Tom McCallum * this seat closed (TheReef)
Harry Lalli (Treasure Island Resort)
Watersports (1 seat open)
(Serving a 2nd Year) Rod McDowall * this seat closed (Red Sail Sports)
Jane Van Der Bol (Cayman Luxury Charters)
Padraic Linnane (Resort Sports)
Nancy Easterbrook (Divetech)
Restaurant (2 seats open)
Steven Hayes (Cimboco, Chicken! Chicken!, Breezes by the Bay)
Markus Mueri (Abacus, Prime, Deckers)
Transportation (2 seats open)
Nigel Mitten (Majestic Tours)
Brian Krug (Budget Rent A Car)
Allied / Attraction/ Retail/ Bank etc (1 seat open)
(Serving a 2nd Year) Hugh Treadwell
* this seat closed (Active Capital)
Tim Adam (Cayman Turtle Farm)
Cruise (1 seat open)
Ken Hydes (Camana Bay)
Ronnie Anglin (Captain Marvins)