The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)‘s Deputy Secretary General, Karen Ford-Warner has said that
reinventing Caribbean tourism is crucial in these trying and difficult times.
“Reinventing Caribbean Tourism” is
the theme for the 25 th Annual Caribbean
Tourism Conference (CTC-25) to be held
at Our Lucaya Beach Resort on Grand
Bahama Island, the Bahamas, from
October 28-31, 2002.
The region’s tourism sector continues to
face some major challenges made worse
by the September 11, 2001 attacks on
the U.S.
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Figures from CTO’s Research and
Information Management Division
indicate that between January and June
of this year, arrivals to the region were
down by about 10 percent compared to
the corresponding period last year.
Arrivals from the US were down six
percent, Canada, 15 percent and Europe
percent.
“The theme for CTC-25 is a response to
where we are,” said Mrs. Ford-Warner.
“When faced with these kinds of
challenges, such as in a situation of
unprecedented change, it is crucial
that you know how to use that
change to your advantage. We have
to approach this new situation by
clarifying how we see this industry
and how we are going to carry it
forward,” she said.
The programme for CTC-25 is
packed with dynamic speakers,
seminars and workshops and the
conference will focus on practical
approaches to selling the
Caribbean.
CTO, along with Travel + Leisure
magazine will also host the second
Tourism Youth Congress, at CTC
25.
The Tourism Youth Congress is a
specially orchestrated conference
event that provides an opportunity
for Caribbean students to “think, talk
and experience” Caribbean tourism
over a concentrated period of time,
thereby heightening their awareness
of the challenges and opportunities
involved in tourism.
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