Since 2008 the Haiti Hospital Appeal (HHA) aims to improve medical care, social integration and employment prospects for people with disabilities. The organisation opened Haiti’s first Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation unit.  Social integration has been partially furthered through an inclusive sports centre.

During its work, the organisation partnered with varying charities specifically to provide the medical care and rehabilitation required, and thus welcomed many visitors to a country still ravaged by the consequences of the 2010 earthquake. This spurred the idea to develop a hotel in Cap Haitïen for visitors on land already owned by the charity.  The objective is to develop a hotel of some 21 bedrooms which will also provide employment and training for people with disabilities – thus furthering the charity’s social and employment objectives.

We were asked by HHA CEO and co-founder, Carwyn Hill, to undertake a market analysis and financial viability study, on a pro bono basis, so that the charity could investigate potential sources of funding and/or hotel partners.  Our findings show that the hotel market in Cap-Haitïen is starting to grow as adventure tourism is beginning to take off.  There is also a growing diaspora market, specifically from the US.  However, six years after the major earthquake, the most significant market for hotels, the charity and NGO market, has now declined significantly.