Black Meetings & Tourism - Jamaica’s Josef Forstmayr Takes Reins As President of Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association for 2010-2012

Industry Briefs
Jamaica’s Josef Forstmayr Takes Reins As President of Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association for 2010-2012
Josef Forstmayr, managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay, Jamaica, W.I., has assumed the presidency of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) for a two-year term ending in June 2012. Following recent meetings with the CHTA executive team and outgoing CHTA President Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, who now takes over the chairmanship of CHTA, Forstmayr outlined the various objectives he wishes to address during his two-year term as president. Key issues for Forstmayr will be: Stimulating membership growth, particularly amongst the region’s new larger chain hotels. Providing greater support for the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE) who manage the 35 hotel associations that constitute CHTA’s membership. Improving regional linkages between the hotel sector and other Caribbean industries, particularly agriculture. Elevating the awareness and international status of Caribbean cuisine. Reviving the public and private sector’s regional marketing initiative through the proper funding of the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) – a marketing company owned equally by CHTA and CTO. “Since his days as president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association, I’ve worked very closely with Josef and have found him to be remarkably competent and adept in his approach to hotel marketing and extremely decisive and visionary as an industry leader,” said Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHTA. “His ability to integrate local communities in supporting the vision of the hotel and tourism sector in its daily operations has resulted in a greater understanding of the industry and its importance to the economic development of the constituency in which it operates,” continued Sanguinetti. Forstmayr began his career in the fall of 1979 as assistant manager at Coconut Cove in Negril, later moving to the Tryall Golf and Beach Hotel as resident manager. He served as general manager at the Trident Villas and Hotel in Port Antonio, Jamaica, until arriving at his current position as Managing Director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay. Forstmayr held the role of president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association (JHTA) from June 2001 – 2003. He was voted Caribbean Hotelier of the Year by the CHTA membership in 2007 and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Jamaica Tourist Board. Born in Austria, Forstmayr attended the University of Salzburg, where he studied Economic Sciences and Tourism. He is fluent in four languages – German, English, French and Italian. CHTA Director General & CEO Alec Sanguinetti (left) looks on as outgoing CHTA President Enrique De Marchena Kaluche (right) passes the gavel to Josef Forstmayr (middle), who assumes presidency of CHTA for the next two years. CHTA also elected its five vice presidents and treasurer to serve under Forstmayr for the biennium 2010-2012 at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), hosted this year in Montego Bay at Half Moon. These include: 1st Vice President: Richard Doumeng, USVI 2nd Vice President: Alberto Abreu, Dominican Republic 3rd Vice President: Sherille Hughes, Anguilla 4th Vice President: Hans-Georg Roehrbein, Puerto Rico 5th Vice President: William Jonckheer, Curacao Treasurer: Oliver Jordan, Barbados Forstmayr has also appointed the following five regional vice presidents to serve as ambassadors for the organization and assist with the implementation of various objectives: Kevin Kenny, Trinidad Ted Isaacs, Antigua Tony Bowen, St Lucia Marc Melville, Jamaica Bill Clegg, Choice Hotels International For more information on upcoming CHTA events and developments, stay tuned to www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or follow the organization on Facebook or Twitter.

Industry Briefs

Jamaica’s Josef Forstmayr Takes Reins As President of Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association for 2010-2012

Josef Forstmayr, managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay, Jamaica, W.I., has assumed the presidency of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) for a two-year term ending in June 2012.

Following recent meetings with the CHTA executive team and outgoing CHTA President Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, who now takes over the chairmanship of CHTA, Forstmayr outlined the various objectives he wishes to address during his two-year term as president.

Key issues for Forstmayr will be: Stimulating membership growth, particularly amongst the region’s new larger chain hotels. Providing greater support for the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE) who manage the 35 hotel associations that constitute CHTA’s membership. Improving regional linkages between the hotel sector and other Caribbean industries, particularly agriculture. Elevating the awareness and international status of Caribbean cuisine. Reviving the public and private sector’s regional marketing initiative through the proper funding of the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) – a marketing company owned equally by CHTA and CTO.

“Since his days as president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association, I’ve worked very closely with Josef and have found him to be remarkably competent and adept in his approach to hotel marketing and extremely decisive and visionary as an industry leader,” said Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHTA. “His ability to integrate local communities in supporting the vision of the hotel and tourism sector in its daily operations has resulted in a greater understanding of the industry and its importance to the economic development of the constituency in which it operates,” continued Sanguinetti.

Forstmayr began his career in the fall of 1979 as assistant manager at Coconut Cove in Negril, later moving to the Tryall Golf and Beach Hotel as resident manager. He served as general manager at the Trident Villas and Hotel in Port Antonio, Jamaica, until arriving at his current position as Managing Director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay.

Forstmayr held the role of president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association (JHTA) from June 2001 – 2003. He was voted Caribbean Hotelier of the Year by the CHTA membership in 2007 and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Born in Austria, Forstmayr attended the University of Salzburg, where he studied Economic Sciences and Tourism. He is fluent in four languages – German, English, French and Italian.

CHTA Director General & CEO Alec Sanguinetti (left) looks on as outgoing CHTA President Enrique De Marchena Kaluche (right) passes the gavel to Josef Forstmayr (middle), who assumes presidency of CHTA for the next two years.

CHTA also elected its five vice presidents and treasurer to serve under Forstmayr for the biennium 2010-2012 at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), hosted this year in Montego Bay at Half Moon. These include:

1st Vice President: Richard Doumeng, USVI
2nd Vice President: Alberto Abreu, Dominican Republic
3rd Vice President: Sherille Hughes, Anguilla
4th Vice President: Hans-Georg Roehrbein, Puerto Rico
5th Vice President: William Jonckheer, Curacao
Treasurer: Oliver Jordan, Barbados

Forstmayr has also appointed the following five regional vice presidents to serve as ambassadors for the organization and assist with the implementation of various objectives:

Kevin Kenny, Trinidad
Ted Isaacs, Antigua
Tony Bowen, St Lucia
Marc Melville, Jamaica
Bill Clegg, Choice Hotels International

For more information on upcoming CHTA events and developments, stay tuned to www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or follow the organization on Facebook or Twitter.