Business View Caribbean | May 2019

13 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN MAY 2019 OPENING L INES CARTAGENA TOURISM ASSOCIATION JOINS CHTA AS FIRST NEW DESTINATION IN 15 YEARS C artagena, the colonial port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, represented by COTELCO Cartagena, joined the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) as its 33rd destination and the first commercial association to join the regional association in more than 15 years. COTELCO Cartagena, a chapter of Colombia’s hotel and tourism association, has 56 affiliated hotels and more than 4,000 hotel rooms, including brands such as GHL Hotels, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Karisma Hotels and Resorts, Movich Hotels, Radisson Hotels and Resorts, Sofitel, and Hyatt. In Colombia, COTELCO Nacional has 900 affiliate hotels throughout the country with a presence in 23 departments. “We are absolutely delighted that COTELCO Cartagena, which represents the jewel in the crown of Colombia, has joined CHTA with its brilliant fusion of Caribbean and Latin American culture adding enormously to the rich diversity of our organization,” said Frank Comito, CEO and Director General of the organization that represents the interests of the private sector throughout the region. The Caribbean port of Cartagena de Indias was founded in 1533, and its old walled city and fortress, called Colonial City, once repelled invaders and pirates. These days, thanks to the