Port of Spain, Trinidad – The President and Board of Directors of the Trinidad Hotels Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Louanna Chai-Alves as the new executive director for the organization. Chai-alves officially assumed her new role on April 1, 2011.
“We take this opportunity to welcome Mrs. Chai-Alves to the THRTA family with the knowledge that our stakeholders will give her their full support as we strive to create new opportunities and build the support structures required to take our industry forward,” commented Michelle Palmer-Keizer, president of the THRTA.
Louanna Chai-Alves
With almost 20 years experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, Chai-Alves honed her skills at the Holiday Inn and Canadian Lake Express in Toronto, Canada, the Grafton Beach Resort in Tobago and the Normandie Hotel and Kapok Hotel in Trinidad. Her knowledge and expertise cover a wide range of disciplines including management and development of work teams, implementation and execution of strategic plans and the administration and support of operations. No stranger to the THRTA, Chai-Alves served as first vice president and member from 1999-2002 and member of the marketing committee from 2006-2008.
Chai-Alves earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of the West Indies, Institute of Business. In addition, she has helped in the development of future tourism professionals by lecturing at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute.
