The Tribune

MIAMI — Hundreds of Tourism stakeholders will assemble this week to discuss new trends in the industry at the 18th annual African American Hotel Ownership and Investment Summit and Trade Show.

Held at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel from July 16 – 19, the conference is not only scheduled to have its renowned ‘Introduction to the ABC’s of Hotel Ownership’, ‘Industry Outlook’ and ‘Hotel Financing’ sessions that attendees usually look forward, but will also host new forward thinking sessions like ‘The Power of The Purse: Women Shaping and Influencing the Hospitality Industry’.

Andy Ingraham, the chief executive officer of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners Operators and Developers (NABHOOD), which organises the summit and trade show, said the theme “Creating Opportunities for a Diverse Generation” is going to be highlighted throughout this year’s event.

“It’s everything that you can expect from a summit of this magnitude, but every year we keep adding on to it to customise unique opportunities for everyone in attendance,” said Mr Ingraham. “We want to make sure that every year stakeholders can leave here gaining something new from this experience that they can take with them out in their communities and businesses and build upon.”

Many dynamic speakers from throughout the Caribbean region are slated for the event to speak on Caribbean Development and Investment, including Prime Minister of St Lucia Kenny Anthony; the Bahamas’ Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle; Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool, Conseillere Territoriale, Office De Tourisme de Saint Martin; Haydn Hughes, Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism & Sports, Anguilla, and Claude Duncan, vice-president of investment promotion, JAMPRO.

Also speaking will be Geoff Ballotti, president/CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group; Sam Bakhshandehpour, president of SLS Hotels; Sheila Johnson, founder/CEO of Salamander Hospitality; Tom Baltimore, president of RLJ Lodging Trust; Congressman Alcee Hastings and Warren Fields, principal of Pyramid Advisors.

The summit opens this morning with the NABHOOD Historically Black College or University Scholarship Deep Sea Fishing & Shark Tournament to raise money for minority hospitality students. It will be followed at noon with an orientation programme for new and prospective hotel owners, committee meetings, opening general session and a welcome reception in the evening.

General Sessions and workshops will be held Thursday and Friday with student workshops on Friday and Saturday morning and will be followed by the NABHOOD Career Fair & Job Expo.

This event is presented by NABHOOD, Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine and Horizons International Group. This purpose of the summit is to be exciting and packed with information to help attendees understand the many opportunities available in hotel ownership, investment, supplier diversity and employment. For more information on the summit and the agenda, please visit www.nabhood.net.