By Alexander Britell and Guy Britton

MIAMI – One of the region’s leading travel conferences began Wednesday in the heart of downtown Miami.

Northstar Travel Group’s Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit is the Caribbean’s leading hospitality investment conference, bringing together destinations, developers, lawyers, bankers, owners and investors from around the region and the world.

Some noteworthy names on the speaking agenda ranged from Javier Coll, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Apple Leisure Group; Ian Carter, president for global development, architecture, design and construction for Hilton; Wendy Chan, vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle’s hotel and hospitality group and Aimbridge Hospitality’s Rich Cortese, among others.

This year’s event, held at the JW Marriott Marquis, runs through Friday, which will include an appearance by the Clinton Global Initiative.

— CJ