Register for Training

We trained 415 hospitality professionals in Turks &Caicos Islands in 2022.

Training

The primary mandate of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation from its formation in 1986 has been to support education and training programs for the region’s hospitality and tourism industry.
Register for Training

Apply for Scholarship

Over $2.5 Million in scholarships awarded

Scholarships

Learn more about the requirements and scholarship application process.
Apply for Scholarships

Become A Sponsor

Support the CHTAEF

Sponsor

The CHTAEF has had the privilege of welcoming the support companies and educational institutions that are committed to helping the tourism industry in our region.
Become a Sponsor

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) was established in 1986 as an independent non-profit organization offering tax-exempt status for donations. The charity offers scholarships and special assistance for the education of Caribbean tourism industry personnel and students pursuing tourism & hospitality careers. As part of its mission, the Education Foundation provides people throughout the Caribbean region with an awareness of the varied career opportunities in the industry, as well as technical and professional development.

Today, the CHTA Education Foundation volunteer trustees administer one of the largest scholarship programs available in the Caribbean Hospitality & Tourism Industry. Funds for these scholarships and grants are generated from corporate sponsorships, benefit auctions & special events. We also encourage the co-sponsorship of scholarships through businesses that do business with the Caribbean, National Hotel Associations and individual Resort sponsorship.

Welcome to the online home of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF). As the CHTAEF Chairperson it is my pleasure to welcome you.

The CHTAEF is an initiative of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. The CHTAEF was established in 1986 as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization through which scholarships and special assistance are made available for the education of Caribbean hotel industry personnel and students pursuing careers in tourism. 

As part of its mission, the CHTAEF provides people throughout the region with an awareness of the industry’s varied career opportunities, as well as technical and professional development. Since its inception, CHTAEF has awarded over US$2.5 million in scholarships and grants.

 The CHTA Education Foundation evolved over the past few years from providing solely individual scholarships for Secondary School graduates  to including funding a series of programs which target the regions existing staff.  These programs focused on providing short courses for hospitality professionals who are the backbone of our industry to reenergize and reengage them, help them become better at their current jobs and potentially assist them to advance in their field.   In 2018, throughout 2019 and in early 2020, we held on-island training in one-day certification courses which were extremely well received.  Through these online training courses we reached more than 750 hospitality professionals in Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Maarten, and Tobago. The feedback from our colleagues who participated in these trainings was phenomenal.

The on-island training was made possible through the generous contributions of our long-time sponsors Virgin Holidays and Interval International. For more than a decade, these organizations have helped us transform the lives and careers of Caribbean hospitality professionals not only through individual scholarships, but now also through our on-island activities. We are deeply indebted to Virgin Holidays and Interval International for their commitment to the CHTAEF and to Caribbean hospitality education and training.

Donations from CHTA hotel members also contribute greatly to our success. CHTAEF thanks all those Caribbean properties that donate free stays for our raffles and auctions every year which serve as the foundation for our yearly operational funding. Sadly, the majority of our 2020 online training program was necessarily halted during the pandemic and we have focused on identifying funding for online courses until we can return to in-person learning in our Caribbean countries, which we believe is the best option for many of our hospitality team members.

In 2019, we awarded 20 scholarships to students from 10 different destinations: Anguilla, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In 2020, we funded 12 scholarships to students from nine different destinations: Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands.

Our scholars are gaining hospitality knowledge, training and skills at some of the most prestigious institutions around the globe, including Les Roches, Johnson & Wales University, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Cornell University, The Culinary Institute of America, Edinburgh Napier University, Lynn University, Monroe College, University of Aruba, University of the Virgin Islands, University of the West Indies, and Vatel Hotel & Tourism Business School.We are grateful to all of these institutions for their collaboration with the CHTA Education Foundation.

2020 also saw the Foundation supporting a special scholarship, jointly funded with Johnson and Wales, for a Bahamian student from Abaco, who’s family was devastated by Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and using funds generated by a special fundraiser for school children of Grand Bahama and Abaco so decimated last year.

Working collaboratively with our member partners fuels our enthusiasm and creativity, and we look forward to continuing the good work we have begun.

If you interested in donating a hotel stay or becoming a sponsor or an affiliated institution, we would love to discuss with you how you can join your colleagues in building Caribbean success and unity by promoting and supporting travel to the region. To learn more about these opportunities, email us at foundation@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or
 karolin@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com

Sincerely,

Karolin Troubetzkoy

Chairperson
CHTA Education Foundation