The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) is helping prepare Caribbean tourism ministers, commissioners, and directors for World Travel Market (WTM) at the highly anticipated European Marketing Forum.

The annual pre-WTM event will focus on helping the Caribbean find customers in 2012.

A panel of renowned industry experts has been confirmed to help Caribbean nations and brands steer tourism forward, take advantage of available opportunities now, and prepare to harness upturns and future prospects as Europe emerges from recession. 

Managing director of the leading marketing and communications agency, Four bgb, Debbie Hindle, will get the show started with an explanation of how British holidaymakers are buying their trips and how they are being influenced to choose them.

Hindle will also present an introduction to recent UK industry and online trends.

David Jessop, the managing director of the Caribbean Council, will provide an overview of the latest developments with the UK’s Air Passenger Duty, aviation’s inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading System and the growing tendency towards aviation taxation.

Meanwhile, David Stevenson, columnist for the Financial Times, will describe what is happening to the UK economy and what is happening to consumers’ disposable income in 2012.

Attendees will also hear from Dominic Harrison, the head of global trends at nVision Global who will present insightful consumer research on what is happening to disposable income, attitudes and spending power, and what is needed to communicate to potential travellers in 2012, while destination branding expert Tom Buncle, the managing director of Yellow Railroad, will share how other countries are presenting themselves to reach long-haul travellers next year.

The European Marketing Forum is free to all CTO members, CHTA members and visiting Caribbean delegations to WTM.

It will be held on Sunday November 6th at the offices of the Telegraph Media Group in London and is sponsored by Virgin Holidays.