Caribbean Hails Hispanic Hotelier

For Immediate Release
 
Contact: Bevan Springer 201 861-2056
              bevanspringer@nj.rr.com
 
Photograph of Victor Lopez Available at: 
http://www.mediaexchange.info/tmp/VictorLopez.asp
 
CARIBBEAN HAILS HISPANIC HOTELIER
 
MIAMI (September 18, 2003) – Caribbean tourism leaders are hailing Costa 
Rican native Victor Lopez for his contribution to regional tourism marketing 
as well as the influential Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility 
naming him as one of the most influential Hispanics in Corporate America.
 
The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) and the CHA Charitable Trust (CHACT) - 
which administers the region's marketing programme - added their plaudits 
this week for Miami resident Lopez, divisional vice president of Hyatt Hotels 
and Resorts, who is the highest-ranking Hispanic executive at Hyatt Hotels 
and Resorts, part of Hyatt Corporation that currently owns, manages, 
franchises or operates 414 hotels and resorts around the world. Lopez directs 
the operations of 28 properties in the high volume leisure and business 
destinations of Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Washington D.C. region.
 
"Victor's achievements are historic," said CHA's Director General and CEO 
Alec Sanguinetti, who added the Caribbean region is fortunate to have the 
counsel of Lopez, a 30 year-year veteran of the hotel industry who continues 
to provide leadership in the execution of the Life Needs the Caribbean 
marketing programme. Lopez was the first chair of CHACT.
 
"One of the greatest pleasures of my work is having the opportunity to mentor 
those who wish to advance their careers at Hyatt," said Lopez about the 
nomination from one of the most prominent US Hispanic organizations. "To be 
honored for something that is my privilege to do is an honor beyond words. 
The hard work and ambition of the Hispanics and other minorities I work with, 
and the thousands of Hispanic men and women in the American work force who 
are forging their careers, inspire me. It is my joy and my responsibility to 
guide them in achieving their goals. "
 
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts is an industry leader in the recruitment, retention, 
development and promotion of minorities and women. Hyatt's workforce of more 
than 36,000 employees is 59% ethnic minority and 50% female, with the 
management breakdown being 36% minority and 37% female.
 
The CHACT is a successful public/private sector alliance, uniting major hotel 
chains, airlines and credit card companies with the Caribbean Tourism 
Organisation, CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and non-CARICOM nations. Last 
fall, CHACT launched a multi-million dollar campaign to market and promote 
the region as a single destination.
 
CARICOM heads of government have reiterated the importance of the tourism 
sector to the Caribbean economy and they recently reaffirmed the need to 
establish a Sustainable Tourism Development Fund to facilitate the 
implementation of a strategic plan for tourism, and supported the effort to 
mobilize the resources for the Fund.
 
www.GoCaribbean.com allows the region to play a full role in the entire 
distribution channel of Caribbean vacations, rather than just focusing on the 
delivery of a product. Consumers and travel agents alike can now book 
airlines, hotels and other Caribbean properties at bulk or heavily discounted 
rates.
 
Bookings on www.gocaribbean.com currently cover both vacation packages (air 
and hotel) and hotel room nights. Reservations also can be made by telephone 
using the 1-888-CARIBBEAN toll free service. Three hundred and ninety-seven 
(397) hotels, offering more than 86,000 rooms, are available for bookings.
 
Eighteen destinations participate in CHACT's marketing campaign: Antigua and 
Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. 
Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and the 
United States Virgin Islands.
 
Travel agents in North America can earn website commissions and toll-free 
customer support for agents is available at 1-888-724-6413.
 
For further information, contact CHACT Program Director Chris Sharpless Jr. 
at 305 443-3040 or csharpless@chahotels.com .
 
ENDS