January 2010 Developments - 64

Committee Update T his past autumn, the ARDACaribbean Committee hosted a conference in conjunction with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Annual Small Hotels Retreat on October 1-2, 2009, at the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The event kicked off on October 1, with a variety of meetings scheduled throughout the day to address ongoing legislative matters in the territory and to build upon strategic partnerships in the region. Most important among them was a session with committee members, Following successful negotiations and more than two years of work on the issue, the regulations for the statutorily required public comment period of 20 days. At the conclusion of the comment period, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor John de Jongh Jr., has agreed to enact the regulations. This action will mark an important victory for ARDA Caribbean and owners in the Territory, who will save nearly $1.5 million in property taxes each year. Later in the day, committee leadership met with U.S.V.I. Senate president, Senator Louis Patrick Hill, to discuss additional legislative priorities in the Territory. Committee leadership also met with Andy Osbourne, past president and treasurer for the Aruba Timeshare Association (ATSA), to learn more about Aruba’s timeshare marketplace and to discuss ways in which ARDA Caribbean and ATSA can establish a more formal strategic alliance. Keith Stephenson ARDA-Caribbean Hosts First Islandbased Event in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands The ARDA-Caribbean opening reception held that evening brought together 70-plus attendees and honored Governor de Jongh Jr., and members of the 28th Legislature. Other honored guests included U.S.V.I. Senate president, Senator Louis Patrick Hill; Beverly Nicholson Doty, U.S.V.I. Commissioner of Tourism; Lisa Hamilton, president and CEO of the U.S.V.I. Hotel & Tourism Association; Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association; Andy Osbourne, past president and treasurer for the Aruba Timeshare Association; and other key industry leaders from around the region. The next day, 37 members of the ARDA-Caribbean Committee convened to discuss top priorities for the 20092010 year, including legislative advocacy, industry research, strategic partnerships, and public relations. It was agreed during the meeting that the next major initiative will be to investigate whether or not the resources and commitment exists to pursue a Caribbean timeshare and vacation ownership census and/or economic impact study. Immediately following the regional committee meeting, the U.S. Virgin Islands subcommittee met to discuss details regarding the completion of a draft timeshare act in the Territory. The event-highlight, then, was a dinner that members of the committee hosted for Governor de Jongh Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Gregory R. Francis, thanking them for their leadership and support on behalf of the timeshare industry. On behalf of ARDA-Caribbean, ARDA-ROC, founding sponsors Interval International and Group RCI, and event sponsors Ballard Spahr, we would like to thank members of the committee for their part in the success of this seminal event and the advancement of the committee’s mission in the region. of the Governor), Bernadette Williams (tax assessor), and the Lieutenant Governor’s chief of staff, to advocate for the enactment of ARDA-backed property tax regulations that provide for the fair and equitable computation of timeshare interest valuation. ARDA-Caribbean U.S.V.I. working group lobby for the enactment of ARDAproposed property tax regulations. Developments January 2010

January 2010 Developments

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2010 Developments