The Curaçao Hotel and Tourism Association has named a new top executive.

CHATA has appointed Miles Mercera to serve as the organization’s new president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Current CHATA President & CEO, Lizanne Dindial, will step down by December 31, 2016, after five years in the post.

Mercera first joined the organization 2011 as the Marketing Director and has been serving as Director of Marketing & Product.

The association’s board of directors “is proud of the work and dedication by current President & CEO Ms. Lizanne,” it said in a statement.

“I was surrounded by great people,” Dindial said.

— Dana Niland, CJ Contributor