Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association hires CEO

The new director general and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel Tourism Association is Jeff Vasser, who has served as head of the Atlantic City Convention Visitors Authority since 2002.

Vasser’s appointment, which takes effect Nov. 18, ends months of speculation about who would succeed Alec Sanguinetti, who retired at the end of 2012 after a 52-year career in the Caribbean tourism industry, including 19 years with CHTA, nine as director general/CEO.

Vasser also will be tasked with co-directing the Caribbean Tourism and Development Co., a marketing entity jointly owned and operated by CHTA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

According to Richard Doumeng, CHTA president, Vasser was selected after a comprehensive search from a field of 100 candidates.

“We have only had two CEOs in our 51-year history [John Bell was the first], so the selection process was very important,” Doumeng said.

Prior to joining the Atlantic City CVA, Vasser held positions with Choice Hotels International, Laventhol Horwath, Four Seasons Hotels, Cipriani International and Deloitte Touche Consulting Group.

Vasser will preside over CHTA’s annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace, Jan. 12-14 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.