The Caribbean Tourism Association (CTO) is forging ahead with a regional marketing plan intended to make the Caribbean the world’s number one tourism destination by 2017.
Beverly Nicholson-Doty, chair of the Caribbean Tourism Council of Ministers and Commissioners, said a CTO regional marketing programme was a project that had seen many “stops and starts”.
But as she officially opened the new CTO offices at Baobab Towers in Warrens last week, she said, “It is our commitment that as a region we will fully implement a regional marketing strategy that helps the region [become] the number one destination by 2017.”
“We are well on the way,” she added.
The CTO official said it was critical that the Caribbean tourism industry receive support from governments and people since it continues to be one of the most resilient industries despite the worldwide turn.
Reminding guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony that “it is the diversity of our people that makes us so special”, Nicholson-Doty said the region had seen “steady growth” in the industry since 2009 and the CTO had “set some goals that will lead us into the next century”.
She also acknowledged the need for a stronger relationship with cruise passengers, saying this sector was “critical to the goals” of the CTO, and disclosed that an aviation committee has been developed within the CTO.
“I don’t think there is anyone who would doubt the importance of the aviation sector within our region.” (GC)
