The morning of Saturday, February 27, 2010, will be hard to forget; a massive earthquake, magnitude 8.8 on the Richter scale, ravaged areas of this small nation.

With its stable economy, Chile is regarded as a model nation in Latin America, earning the respect of other countries in the region. Known as the Switzerland of Latin America, this small nation lacks some of the resources of larger nations; however, its people have consistently demonstrated the energy and motivation to build a nation that is respected worldwide and to honor every day with the continuous effort to create a better world.

For Chileans, the morning of Saturday, February 27, 2010, will be hard to forget. The nation awoke that Saturday to distressing news. A devastating earthquake, magnitude 8.8 on the Richter scale, had ravaged areas of Chile, tearing apart the fabric of the nation's reality.

Even for non-Chileans who have had the opportunity to visit this country and observe its people, the pain is deep, almost as great as the pain Chile's ±17 million inhabitants are experiencing.

But those of our Chilean brethren living in areas closest to the epicenter must overcome their grief and cope with the reality of this huge natural disaster; they must now focus on the day-to-day demands of rebuilding. Our obligation is to reflect upon ways to contribute efficiently to a commitment to Chile – the reconstruction of a piece of our planet.

The Haiti earthquake on January 12th (7.3 on the Richter scale), the torrential rain in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) during January, and the 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Chile have caused havoc in several regions of Latin America.

Even while aftershocks of over 6 on the Richter scale continued to jolt Chile three weeks after the big tremor, the nation began taking its first steps in the long, slow route to recovery. This journey is imperative for those inhabitants who have lost beloved members of their family, along with their homes, and who currently are without hope for the future.

It is the duty of us all who have the means to do so to contribute to the titanic task of restoring hope to those who believe they have lost everything; to support the reconstruction of a country that demonstrates much strength, talent, and creativity; and to show that "honrar la vida no es permanecer y transcurrir… que Merecer la vida es erguirse vertical, más allá del mal, de las caídas. Es igual que darle a la verdad y a nuestra propia libertad, la Bienvenida …" ¹ ("Honoring life is not just remaining and passing by… Deserving life means arising straight, beyond evil and falls. It means welcoming truth and our own freedom…")

All of us who make HVS possible around the world are together with the Chilean people. We care deeply about what happened to them and commit ourselves to supporting the long reconstruction process.

This process will demonstrate to the world the capability of a small country with the conviction that a grander destiny is reached by the day-to-day efforts of its people.

¹ Eladia Blázquez, Argentinean poet, 1931-2005

About Arturo Garcia Rosa
Arturo García Rosa, Senior Partner of HVS Global Hospitality Services, President of HVS Argentina, President of HVS Peru, and President of SAHIC. Arturo has been working in the domestic and international hospitality industry for more than 30 years. His wide range of publications and papers serve as testimony of his continuous update of his broad knowledge and overall vision of the industry. For 11 years he was Managing Director of the Alvear Palace Hotel, leading the project that allowed Buenos Aires to recover one of its finest hotels, creating the first national deluxe management. He is the founder of Destino Argentina and the author of the Argentina 2010 Tourism Plan. His professional activity is nowadays focused on the consolidation of HVS presence in the main South American markets and on the expansion to new Latin American markets. The South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (SAHIC) is aligned with this path, as well as some other major projects in progress today, including the recent opening of the HVS Lima office, in Peru.

About Graciana Garcia Iribarne
Graciana García Iribarne, Managing Director of HVS Buenos Aires, Managing Director HVS Lima, Vice President of SAHIC. Graciana's career started in 1992 at the Caesar Park Buenos Aires (Westin Hotel). In 1998, she traveled to Europe and worked at the Caux Palace (Montreaux) adding to her knowledge the recognized expertise and excellence of the Swiss hotel school. Back in Argentina, she worked for renowned hotel chains, such as Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In year 2002, she joined HVS, and in March 2008, following her successful leadership of diverse development projects in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay, Graciana became the Managing Director of HVS Buenos Aires. With the recent office opening in Peru, Graciana expanded her role also as the Managing Director of HVS Lima.

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