EVENT: Caribbean Tourism Conference kicks off

C"bean Tourism Conference kicks off
 
Thursday October 16 2003
 
ST. THOMAS, USVI, (CMC) - At least 600 delegates are expected to attend the 
three-day meeting of the Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC) that got underway 
here today.

Organisers said the conference dubbed "CTC-26" comes "at one of the most 
challenging periods in the more than 50-year history of the Caribbean Tourism 
Organisation (CTO)." 

They said at least 600 delegates, including ministers, commissioners and 
directors of tourism, travel agents, hoteliers, cruise operators, tourism 
suppliers and industry professionals, will attend the meeting which ends 
Saturday.

The meeting will explore various strategies to build on the positive signs of 
recovery that are emerging in the region's tourism industry. 

"Today, the travel industry is focused on recovering from so many obstacles, 
such as a difficult world economy, the threat of terrorism and conflict, and 
global health issues," Jean Holder, CTO's secretary-general while speaking of 
the theme of this year's conference, said. 

"Recovery and growth in a fiercely competitive environment," he said. 

"This is a crucial time for Caribbean tourism. The industry has gone through 
some very tough times in the last two years and we face an enormous challenge 
of nurturing it back to prosperity. 

"We are excited about the excellent opportunity that "CTC-26" will offer the 
region's public and private sectors to formulate innovative strategies to 
keep the Caribbean competitive in global tourism," he added. 

Latest CTO figures indicate that stay-over arrivals to the region have been 
steadily on the increase with a three per cent rise in May, six per cent in 
June and six per cent in July, compared to the corresponding months in 2002. 

Overall, tourist arrivals for the summer were better than the 2002 level by 
an estimated five per cent, the CTO said. 

"CTO and its membership are hoping "CTC-26" can set the platform from which 
to sustain this recovery and to generate new and exciting ideas on how to 
grow and thrive in a highly competitive environment," CTO's Deputy 
Secretary-General Karen Ford-Warner said. 

"CTO and the USVI department of tourism have prepared an exciting programme 
for the three-day event, with general sessions that focus on some of the 
hottest, most instructive and provocative issues facing Caribbean tourism 
today," a statement from the organisers said on Tuesday. 

It said that a range of dynamic and knowledgeable experts in the fields of 
travel and tourism, many of whom have extensive experience in successfully 
nurturing their companies, destinations and products through difficult times, 
have been carefully chosen to present practical suggestions on how the 
region's tourism sector can grow amidst fierce competition. 

Professor Rex Nettleford, vice chancellor of the University of the West 
Indies (UWI) will deliver the keynote address at the opening of the 
conference today.

While the Prime Minister of St.Vincent & the Grenadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves 
will deliver the feature address at a luncheon on Saturday. 
 

SOURCE: Antigua Sun