REPORT FROM JAMAICA - PROFIT: The Caribbean Hotel Association has led an aggressive and fairly successful advocacy programme in Europe which has been designed to foster awareness about the importance of the tourism industry to the economic and social well being of the Caribbean and its people, says the 1st Vice President of the Caribbean Hotel Association, Peter Odle.

Mr. Odle was speaking at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, at the Partnership Roles and Opportunities for Investment in Tourism (PROFIT) meeting which is now on at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Spa in Montego Bay. The conference which is on from October 5 to 8 has attracted some 336 delegates, 36 more than were targeted by the organizers.

The conference, which is geared at partnering project proposals, financiers and investors should see the region creating favourable investment climate critical to the further development of Caribbean Tourism and PROFIT in the Caribbean provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase viable proposals and seek alliances to move them forward, says Mr. Odle.

He was also pleased to announce that additional funding will be made available from PROINVEST and the Centre for Development of Enterprise (CDE) as a result of this three day event in Jamaica.

It was also announced that the CHA would be working with PROINVEST to seek additional support to build on this inaugural partnership meeting by running PROFIT in the Caribbean as an integral component of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, to be held in May 2005. The 1st Vice President noted that the necessary continuity to this partnership meeting - such as the work that needs to take place to finalize investment proposals - will be part of the preparation for the 2005 event.

CHA has pledged its commitment to continue to support event that will improve the investment climate in the region, including the establishment of a Caribbean Tourism Investment Fund.

CHA, PROINVEST, EU in association with JAMPRO are the organizers for the event and the input of the funds so far is 110 million Euro. PROFIT in the Caribbean is one of a series of partnership meetings organized by PROINVEST. In February 2005, an event will be hosted in the Pacific.