2026 CHIEF AWARDS

A CALL FOR BEST PRACTICES BY CARIBBEAN HOTELIERS AND TOURISM-RELATED BUSINESSES

The CHIEF Awards recognize CHTA member organizations demonstrating excellence, delivering meaningful results and implementing practices from which the wider Caribbean hospitality industry can learn.

More than recognition, the Awards showcase practical examples and best practices that can inspire and strengthen hospitality businesses across the region.

2026 Award Categories

Environmental Sustainability – Recognizes initiatives demonstrating meaningful progress in reducing environmental impact and advancing responsible tourism.

Sales & Marketing – Recognizes effective sales and marketing initiatives that strengthen market positioning, generate demand, reach new audiences or deliver demonstrated business results.

People Development & Support – Recognizes initiatives that strengthen the employee experience through development, engagement, well-being, retention, advancement or other approaches that invest in people.

Social Responsibility – Recognizes initiatives that create meaningful positive impact for communities or address social needs through responsible tourism, partnerships, inclusion, local economic participation or community engagement.

Tech Transformation – Recognizes the effective use of technology to transform or significantly improve hospitality operations, productivity, decision-making, guest engagement, revenue generation or service delivery.

Guest Experience Excellence (NEW) – Recognizes initiatives that meaningfully enhance the guest journey, create memorable or distinctive experiences, strengthen guest satisfaction or engagement, or respond effectively to evolving guest expectations.

Who Can Enter?

  • Nominees must be CHTA members in good standing.
  • Self-nominations are permitted.
  • Organizations may submit nominations in multiple award categories; however, the same initiative may only be entered in one category.
  • Eligible initiatives must have been implemented, active or demonstrated meaningful results from November 2025 to the date of submission.
  • Initiatives that began before November 2025 may qualify if significant implementation, development or results occurred during the eligibility period.

*Your initiative doesn’t have to be new or first-of-its-kind.  Effective adaptation, improvement or exceptional implementation of an existing practice may also qualify for recognition.

What You’ll Need to Submit
The nomination process is designed to be straightforward. In addition to basic organization and contact information, nominees will be asked to briefly address:

  1. Challenge or Opportunity – What were you addressing and why was it important?
  2. Approach Undertaken – What did you do and why?
  3. Results & Impact – What difference did the initiative make?
  4. Best-Practice Value – What could another Caribbean hospitality organization learn from or adapt from your experience?


How Nominations Are Judged
Eligible nominations will be assessed on:

  • Approach Undertaken – 30%
  • Results & Impact – 40%
  • Application as a Best Practice – 30%

*Judges will consider the initiative and its results in the context of the organization’s circumstances and available resources.

 

READY TO SHARE YOUR BEST PRACTICE?


Submit your nomination for the 2026 CHIEF Awards.


Want more information?

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE 2025 CHIEF AWARDS

It’s that time of year again to shine a spotlight on those who are setting and raising the standards in the hotel and tourism industry. Nominations for all categories for the CHIEF Awards are now open. Deadline to submit is November 3, 2025. 

CHIEF Awards 2026

The CHIEF Awards recognize CHTA member organizations demonstrating excellence, delivering meaningful results and implementing practices from which the wider Caribbean hospitality industry can learn.

More than recognition, the Awards showcase practical examples and best practices that can inspire and strengthen hospitality businesses across the region.

 

2026 Award Categories

Environmental Sustainability
Recognizes initiatives demonstrating meaningful progress in reducing environmental impact and advancing responsible tourism.

Sales & Marketing
Recognizes effective sales and marketing initiatives that strengthen market positioning, generate demand, reach new audiences or deliver demonstrated business results.

People Development & Support
Recognizes initiatives that strengthen the employee experience through development, engagement, well-being, retention, advancement or other approaches that invest in people.

Social Responsibility
Recognizes initiatives that create meaningful positive impact for communities or address social needs through responsible tourism, partnerships, inclusion, local economic participation or community engagement.

Tech Transformation
Recognizes the effective use of technology to transform or significantly improve hospitality operations, productivity, decision-making, guest engagement, revenue generation or service delivery.

Guest Experience Excellence – NEW
Recognizes initiatives that meaningfully enhance the guest journey, create memorable or distinctive experiences, strengthen guest satisfaction or engagement, or respond effectively to evolving guest expectations.

Who Can Enter?

  • Nominees must be CHTA members in good standing.
  • Self-nominations are permitted.
  • Organizations may submit nominations in multiple award categories; however, the same initiative may only be entered in one category.
  • Eligible initiatives must have been implemented, active or demonstrated meaningful results from November 2025 to the date of submission.
  • Initiatives that began before November 2025 may qualify if significant implementation, development or results occurred during the eligibility period.

Your initiative doesn’t have to be new or first-of-its-kind.  Effective adaptation, improvement or exceptional implementation of an existing practice may also qualify for recognition.

What You’ll Need to Submit

The nomination process is designed to be straightforward. In addition to basic organization and contact information, nominees will be asked to briefly address:

  1. Challenge or Opportunity – What were you addressing and why was it important?
  2. Approach Undertaken – What did you do and why?
  3. Results & Impact – What difference did the initiative make?
  4. Best-Practice Value – What could another Caribbean hospitality organization learn from or adapt from your experience?

How Nominations Are Judged

Eligible nominations will be assessed on:

  • Approach Undertaken – 30%
  • Results & Impact – 40%
  • Application as a Best Practice – 30%

Judges will consider the initiative and its results in the context of the organization’s circumstances and available resources.

Ready to Share Your Best Practice?

Submit your nomination for the 2026 CHIEF Awards.

[SUBMIT A NOMINATION LINK]

Want more information?
[DOWNLOAD THE FULL 2026 CHIEF AWARDS CRITERIA & NOMINATION GUIDELINES]

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE 2025 CHIEF AWARDS

It’s that time of year again to shine a spotlight on those who are setting and raising the standards in the hotel and tourism industry. Nominations for all categories for the CHIEF Awards are now open. Deadline to submit is November 3, 2025. 

About the CHIEF Awards…
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is committed to advancing the quality, sustainability and profitability of the tourism industry in the region.  The CHIEF Awards have been established to recognize successful practices which CHTA member hotels and tourism-related enterprises have adopted in any of the following categories:
  • ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
  • INNOVATIVE SALES AND MARKETING
  • PEOPLE (Staff) DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
  • SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
  • TECH TRANSFORMATION: businesses or individuals who have significantly transformed their operations or guest experiences through technology.
Who May be Nominated:
Any CHTA member in good standing.
Who May Submit Nominations:
Nominations may be submitted by:
  • A company that is a current active CHTA member
  • Ministry and Departments of Tourism
  • Travel Industry Partners (i.e. OTAs, Travel Intermediaries, trade press, etc.)
  • CHTA Strategic Partners and Sponsors
What is the Selection Criteria?
All initiatives being submitted for consideration must have taken place within the 2025 calendar year. A panel of judges representing top industry professionals in their respective areas will review all nominations and make their selections.  A three stage judging process is as follows:
  1. Nominations are submitted to CHTA through the CHIEF Awards portal.
  2. A panel of judges reviews each nomination.
  3. Submissions are rated and three finalists with the overall winner are identified for each category.
Submissions will be rated on:
  • Approach Undertaken
  • Results Achieved
  • Application of Approach as a Best Practice
Note:  We encourage visuals, videos, charts, graphs, etc. to be included to support the nomination.  5 pages, 20MB maximum  Any submissions exceeding 5 pages will not be submitted to the judges..
How Will Finalists and Winners Be Recognized?
The top three finalists in each category will be presented at CHIEF 2025.  The finalists and overall winner will be recognized at the CHIEF Awards, referenced at a press release and social media posts and best practices posted on the CHIEF Awards page.

2025 WINNERS

Environmental Sustainability

Curtain Bluff

Antigua

People Development

Half Moon

Jamaica

Sales & Marketing

Boardwalk Hotel

Aruba

Social Responsibility

Rockhouse Hotel

Jamaica

Technology Transformation

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort

USVI

2024 WINNERS

Environmental Sustainability

Ti Kaye Resort & Spa

Saint Lucia

People Development

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort

Aruba

SALES & MARKETING

The Rockley by Ocean Hotels

Barbados

Social Responsibility

Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association

Grenada

Technology Transformation

Vaille Blanc Villa + Hotel

Saint Lucia

2023 WINNERS

Environmental Sustainability

True Blue Bay Boutique Resort

Grenada

People Development

Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association

Antigua & Barbuda

SALES & MARKETING

Bay Gardens Resorts

Saint Lucia

Social Responsibility

The Island of The Bahamas and Tambourine

The Bahamas

Technology Transformation

GuestChat

Grenada

2022 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

The Landings Resort & Spa

St. Lucia

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Half Moon

Jamaica

SALES & MARKETING

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort

Aruba

HUMAN RESOURCES AND STAFFING

Grace Bay Car Rentals and Sales

Turks and Caicos

2019 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

The Landings Resort & Spa

St. Lucia

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Half Moon

Jamaica

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort

Aruba

SALES & MARKETING

Valentines Resort & Marina

Harbour Island, Bahamas

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Sandals Resorts International

Jamaica

2018 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Ocean Two Resort & Residences

Barbados

SALES & MARKETING

Ocean Hotels

Barbados

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Ocean Two Resort & Residences

Barbados

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Hamanasi Resort

Belize

2017 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association

St.Lucia

SALES & MARKETING

Aruba Tourism Authority

Aruba

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Hyatt Regency Trinidad

Trinidad & Tobago

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Bucuti & Tara Resorts

Aruba

2016 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Ocean Two Resort & Residencies

Barbados

SALES & MARKETING

Elegant Hotels

Barbados

SUSTAINABILITY

The Tyrall Club

Jamaica

TECHNOLOGY

Aruba Tourism Authority Concept Farm

Aruba

2015 WINNERS

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Sandals Grand St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort

St. Lucia

SALES & MARKETING

The Somerset on Grace Bay

Turks and Caicos

SUSTAINABILITY

Rosalie Bay Resort

Dominica