Agreement Inked to Protect the Environment and Promote Tourism Sustainability  

MIAMI (August 25, 2019) – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has teamed up with one of the world’s leading environmental organizations, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to help create a more resilient Caribbean where tourism thrives while communities benefit and natural resources are used sustainably.
“It’s a perfect match which brings together CHTA’s private sector members and The Nature Conservancy’s enormous science-based capacity for protecting the lands and waters on which all life and our industry depends,” said CHTA’s Chief Executive Officer and Director General Frank Comito, who together with Marci Eggers, The Nature Conservancy’s Deputy Director of the Caribbean Division, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier this summer.

TNC, a nonprofit organization, is currently active in 17 Caribbean countries and territories, where it is committed to protecting the ocean and coasts, safeguarding against the impacts of climate change, and restoring and conserving coral reefs. 

The MOU aims to broaden awareness of the value of coastal and marine resources and to promote education, both for tourists and the tourism industry, on the importance of protecting and restoring these resources for the well-being of future generations in the Caribbean.   

The agreement is a platform joining together the collective power of the two organizations and their networks to help restore and protect the Caribbean’s natural resources, upon which the tourism industry and the broader communities of the entire region depend. 
Eggers asserted: “It is in the best interests of both our organizations to work together to educate the broadest constituency on the value of preserving the beautiful coastlines, reefs, and waters of the Caribbean for future generations. The agreement with CHTA advances these efforts through collaboration, communication and activity implementation.”

The organizations will develop action plans together and leverage staff, budgets and funding to implement them.

The MOU will remain in force until June 30, 2021.

About the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the Caribbean’s leading association representing the interests of national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 50 years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry. Working with some 1,000 hotel and allied members, and 33 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean’s future and helping members to grow their businesses. Whether helping to navigate critical issues in sales and marketing, sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, climate change, data and intelligence or, looking for avenues and ideas to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping members on issues which matter most.

For further information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.

About The Nature Conservancy (TNC)The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. TNC is tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries, TNC uses a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

For further information, visit www.nature.org/caribbean.