Nicola Madden-Greig, OD, who is the President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), was presented with the 2023 Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Award in Miami last weekend.

The Awards seek to recognize excellence and innovation in Caribbean communication and hospitality and to celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to sustainable tourism, community engagement, and cultural preservation.

Madden-Greig addressed a packed audience at Loews Coral Gables on Saturday and said, “As the President of the CHTA, my goal is to ensure that the Caribbean region not only grows but reaches the stratosphere.

In her acceptance speech, Madden-Greig expressed her gratitude to the CMEx Awards for providing an opportunity to recognize Caribbean hospitality leaders and communities, which lets them spotlight the real value of hospitality and its impact on the economy and beyond.

Under Madden-Greig’s leadership, the CHTA has taken a forward-looking approach by adding both a Technology Taskforce, which ensures the embedding of new technologies to drive efficiency and marketing, and the Caribbean Travel Forum, which engages private and public thought leaders to discuss the business of tourism.

During the event, several CHTA members, including Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Dona Regis-Prosper, Ewald Biemans, Joy Jibrilu, and Stan Hartling, were also recognized with Leadership Awards for their efforts in shaping the region’s tourism landscape.

Vanessa Ledesma, the Acting CEO and Director General of CHTA, said, “These accolades reflect our President’s and members’ commitment to elevating the Caribbean tourism experience. Their achievements inspire us all as we continue to work together towards a vibrant and responsible future for Caribbean tourism.”

The CMEx supports and develops the ability of the media, government, the travel and tourism industry, and communities to consider the importance of tourism in sustainable development and helps the communities involved by sharing relevant expertise, financial and in-kind assistance.

CHTA is the Caribbean’s leading association representing the interests of national hotel and tourism associations and has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry for more than 60 years.

They work with some 1,000 hotel and allied members and 33 National Hotel Associations, shaping the Caribbean’s future and helping members grow their businesses.

CHTA helps members 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.