March 2017 | Business View Caribbean

22 23 BVC: Can you tell us a little about the history of the Association? What was the need that the Association felt had to be filled? Did the mission change over the years? What is the current mandate of CITA? TDE: CITA was formed in March 2001 through an amalgamation of the Cayman Tourism Alliance and the Cayman Islands Hotel and Condominium Association. The founding members saw the need to have one unified tourism body with the various board members representing individual sectors such as, accommodations, at- tractions, watersports, restaurants, retail, and transportation. Over the years the mission has remained quite consistent with each sector leader bringing a unique perspective to tourism issues that arise throughout the year. The CITA Board and Executive Staff work together to actively promote the continuing improvement and development of Cayman’s tourism in- dustry through the exchange of informa- tion, government relations, training and education, marketing, and events. Overall, CITA’s mission is to provide leadership, guidance, and appropriate services for the benefit of its members; thereby contrib- uting to a viable and sustainable tourism industry. What makes your location unique from a travel, tourism, and hospitality perspec- tive? The Cayman Islands TourismAssociation One key trait that truly sets our islands apart from other Caribbean destinations in terms of travel, tourism, and hospitality is our ‘CaymanKind’ of hospitality. The ear- liest visitors to the shores of the Cayman Islands recognized the exceptional friend- liness of the Caymanian people, which is inherent to our culture and remains true to the present day.While our hospitality teams, whether at a restaurant, hotel, or attraction, work together to ensure that the visitor experience is geared towards the highest customer service, the com- munity at large appreciates our visitors. We understand that each individual that a AT A GLANCE The Cayman Islands Tourism Association WHAT: A non-profit association representing over 250 tourism-related businesses in the Cayman Islands WHERE: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands WEBSITE: www.cita.ky