The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is accepting nominations for the coveted Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) Awards, which are set to take place during the third edition of the event in Miami from June 2 to 4, 2017.

Tourism stakeholders are encouraged to join innovative and forward-thinking travel and tourism businesses, such as Rosalie Bay in Dominica, Ocean Two Resort in Barbados, and regional resort collections, including Elegant Hotels and Sandals Resorts, which have been previously honored during the premier tourism event. Nominations must be submitted by April 17.

The CHIEF Awards shine a spotlight on the Caribbean hospitality and tourism industry's best practices and Caribbean businesses that have implemented them for the betterment of the industry and the region. The theme for this year's conference, which will feature awards in the areas of Environmental Sustainability, Operations, Sales and Marketing, and Social Responsibility, is "Connect, Learn and Lead the Way".

"This is an opportunity for nominees to showcase and share their innovative ideas while gaining exposure within the industry," said Frank Comito, Director General and CEO of CHTA. "We encourage everyone eligible to enter and exchange their unique and transformative best practices to improve the hospitality and tourism sector across the entire Caribbean."

CHIEF is the Caribbean hospitality industry's premier event for collaborative discourse and offers unparalleled networking opportunities.

The finalists will be announced on Friday, May 5, 2017. The top three finalists in each category will be invited to present their best practices during CHIEF at the Hyatt Regency Miami, and the overall winner in each category will be announced at the conference.

Eligible entrants include any company that is an active CHTA member or a member of a Caribbean national hotel and tourism association; ministries and departments of tourism; travel industry stakeholders such as online travel agents, travel intermediaries and trade press; CHTA strategic partners and sponsors; and members of the general public.

The judging panel represents different countries and geographic regions, as well as professional backgrounds, including the private sector, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations and government, reflecting multi-stakeholder engagement in the travel and tourism industry.

Nominations must be submitted to CHTA after they are vetted by their respective national hotel and tourism associations. Submissions will be rated on approach, results and application.
CHTA encourages visuals, videos, charts and graphs to be included in support of the nomination.