The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association elected a new slate of Caribbean tourism officials at its Annual General Meeting held at the Hyatt Regency Miami this week.

The officers will serve with CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy, owner and executive director of Lucia’s Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resort, who started her term in January.

“I look forward to working with these individuals who have been instrumental in expanding tourism throughout the Caribbean. I am confident that together, we will expand our efforts to sustain the region as the world’s principal tourism destination. Their expertise and advocacy of the Caribbean strengthens the association as a leader of the Caribbean hospitality industry,” Troubetzkoy said.

Atlantis’ Stuart Bowe was named first vice president

The five vice presidents elected to serve for the 2016-2018 biennium include: Stuart Bowe, president of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association and senior vice president and general manager of Coral Towers at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas; Karen Whitt, director of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association and general manager, Regent Palms Turks & Caicos; Patricia Affonso Dass, immediate past chairman of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association and general manager of Ocean Two Resort & Residences, Barbados; Wayne Cummings, director of business processes and administration of Sandals Resorts International; and Pablo Torres, general manager of Caribe Hilton San Juan.

The CHTA’s newest appointees in Miami this week

James Hepple, president and CEO of of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, will serve as treasurer.

The announcements were made on the sidelines of the CHTA’s annual Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition and festival.

The festival was highlighted by the Taste of the Islands consumer event on Thursday, bringing together culinary teams from around the region to offer their top samples to the public.

— Dana Niland