CTO opens 26th annual conference tomorrow in U.S.V.I.

Dr. Jean Holder
CTO Secretary General

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

ST. THOMAS, USVI: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will be the feature speaker at this year's 26th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference, which opens tomorrow in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

CTC-26 opens with a ceremony at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Centre. Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, USVI governor; Dr. Jean Holder, CTO's secretary general and Ms. Pamela Richards, USVI Commissioner of Tourism, will address this ceremony. Prof. Rex Nettleford, vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies, will deliver the keynote address. 

The conference, organized by CTO in collaboration with the USVI Department of Tourism, will be held at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef Resort. 

Some 600 delegates, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, travel agents, hoteliers, cruise operators, tourism suppliers and industry professionals, gather at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef Resort from 16th - 18th October, to 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," said Dr. Holder, while speaking of the theme of this year's conference, Recovery and Growth in a Fiercely Competitive Environment.

"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.

The latest statistics compiled by the CTO's Research and Information Management Division indicate that stay-over arrivals to the region increased by 3 percent in May, 6 percent in June and 6 percent in July, compared to the corresponding months in 2002. Overall, tourist arrivals for the summer were better than the 2002 level by an estimated 5 percent.

"CTO and its membership are hoping that 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," stated Karen Ford-Warner, deputy secretary general of CTO.

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 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.

An attractive programme, which includes a motivational workshop and spotlight presentations has also been planned for travel agents attending the conference.

"CTC-26 will be special," added Hugh Riley, CTO's director of marketing for the Americas. "It will provide an excellent opportunity for the regional public and private sectors to evaluated the immense challenges that confront Caribbean tourism and to seek to chart new courses for the future."

Dr. Gonsalves will address hundreds of delegates at a special luncheon on Saturday, October 18th, the final day of the conference, on the theme 'Recovery and Growth in a Fiercely Competitive Environment.'

"We are excited that Prime Minister Gonsalves has agreed to address us. His presence is a demonstration of his commitment to participate in the region's efforts to strengthen the tourism industry," commented Dr. Jean Holder, secretary general of the CTO.

"Dr. Gonsalves is a compelling and impressive speaker with a direct and no-nonsense approach and he is expected to bring the CTC-26 theme to life as he delves into some of the most important issues facing our industry today," added Karen Ford-Warner, CTO's deputy secretary general.

A main topic of discourse is expected to be the issue of taxing cruise lines to the region.

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