The move by Thomas Cook comes based on reports from hotels that have been contacted verbally by the operator stating that such action is necessary to recoup lost earnings that Thomas Cook incurred this summer. Thomas Cook has refused the request from affected hotels to send this unilateral action in writing.

CHTA has offered its full support for its member hotels that have been verbally contacted by Thomas Cook in regards to unilateral deductions from arrival invoices by the operator. CHTA noted that the Cancun Hotel Association has sent a letter to Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Group Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Cook Group in London requesting that they rescind the unilateral action of unauthorized deductions or face legal action for withholding funds agreed upon in signed tour operator contracts. CHTA has advised its other affected member hotel associations to also write to Thomas Cook.

"CHTA is polling our members to find out how far and wide this unilateral policy by Thomas Cook has spread," said Alec Sanguinetti, Director General and CEO of CHTA. Sanguinetti also stated that CHTA is sending a letter to Thomas Cook on behalf of its member hotel associations expressing CHTA's concern and rejection of such unilateral actions by Thomas Cook which is outside of signed contracts currently in effect.

Sanguinetti also noted that Thomas Cook is not the only travel entity to have experienced losses in the summer of 2010 and that Caribbean hoteliers have also had the most challenging economic conditions to deal with in the history of Caribbean tourism.

Barring the cessation of this unauthorized policy of deductions for agreed upon arrivals, CHTA is supporting the strongest possible actions by its affected member associations against Thomas Cook.

"We can't have any company taking unilateral and unauthorized monetary deductions because they experienced a drop in their earnings, no matter how steeped in history and credibility they have accumulated over the years," Sanguinetti said. "Tour operator contracts have been negotiated and are currently in place. Contracts are to be upheld by both parties and when this breaks down unilaterally it undermines the entire contracting system," he added.

CHTA is encouraging Thomas Cook to withdraw this unilateral action in the interest of preserving the long standing relationship that Thomas Cook has established with the Caribbean and to avoid any legal actions that hotels may be forced to take.

CHTA and its member hotel associations across the region work closely with tour operators and wholesalers from around the world to both negotiate and facilitate operating agreements with individual hotels in the Caribbean. A large portion of these contracts are negotiated each year at Caribbean Marketplace, this year being held in Jamaica January 16-18, 2011.