MIAMI—Emil Lee has stepped down as president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and handed over to first vice president Karolin Troubetzkoy eight months earlier than initially scheduled. Lee has been appointed Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs for St Maarten, so Troubetzkoy will assume the role of acting president of the CHTA.
The CHTA board will meet in January to vote on ratifying Troubetzkoy to take office as President of CHTA in advance of her term which was originally scheduled to begin in June 2016.
“It is with a heavy heart that I leave my CHTA post as president. However, I am proud of the advancements the organisation has made during my tenure and am confident that Karolin Troubetzkoy will perpetuate this momentum going forward in the creation of a new CHTA engaged with the membership,” Lee said.
Troubetzkoy said: “I have worked closely with Emil over the last several months and look forward to continuing the progress and energy he brought to the organisation.” Lee leaves office after serving for over ten years as a member of the board of directors, including two years as first vice president and 17 months as president.
During his term, CHTA has undergone organisational changes and restructuring, broadened membership engagement, strengthened public and private sector ties and repositioned itself to play an even greater role in facilitating tourism’s role as a socio-economic driver for the region.