Marketing the Caribbean

CMeX opens fellowship applications for Fall session

2010-06-17T23:14:00.002-04:00

The Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) has announced the opening of fellowships and scholarships for its Fall session in an island to be announced.

In a press release, the organisation said the recognition and encouragement of young journalists was one of its major aims.

"With the stroke or two of their pens, reporters, editors and young people could secure scholarships and fellowships to attend "one of the most sought-after media gatherings in the Caribbean," the organisation said.

CMEx believes in the value of stronger working relationships between Caribbean countries and their overseas-based communities, a major focus of the 19th Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism.

CMEx will examine ways of working with the Caribbean Diaspora communities to identify innovative strategies of recovering from the massive losses caused by domestic occurrences such as crime and civil unrest.

Additionally, the CMEx in the Fall will also be looking at how to use tourism to revive communities and rebuild economies after natural and man-made disasters.

The non-profit CMEx is finalizing the Caribbean venue for the next symposium which seeks to harness the energy and vigor of the media, young scholars, fellows and Diaspora leaders.

CMEx is an interactive networking forum that allows journalists and young leaders from the Caribbean, North America and Europe to interact with development specialists and representatives of the hospitality, civil society and government sectors.

Journalists and editors - and youth (aged 15 to 21) - can apply for a limited number of scholarships and fellowships. Scholarships cover airfare, accommodation and registration, while Fellowships cover accommodation and registration.

Application and General Registration Forms are available from the following links:

Media Awards Form:

Youth Awards Form:

General Delegate Form:

The deadline for awards applications is Friday, July 2, 2010.

General delegate registration is on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited.

Since 2001, the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) has produced 18 conferences and symposia throughout the Caribbean and North America to underscore the value of the region's largest industry, tourism, in bettering the health, education, culture, environment and wealth of Caribbean communities, at home and abroad, in a climate friendly fashion.

The upcoming CMEx meeting is supported by Anse Chastanet Resort, Barbara Pyle Foundation, Bay Gardens Resorts, Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust, Caribbean Broadcasting Union, CaribWorldNews, Coco Palm, Community Benefit Development, Jade Mountain, Marketplace Excellence, Ruder Finn, Sensible Development Corporation, and The SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A. Foundation.

New CD to benefit CTO Scholarship Foundation

2010-06-14T15:14:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK, NY (June 14, 2010) – From chart toppers on both sides of the Atlantic to a Juno Award winner, some of the region’s most successful and vibrant artistes are contributing their talent for a Caribbean cause.

Kevin Lyttle (St. Vincent & The Grenadines) - whose hit song ‘Turn Me On’ reached # 4 on the U.S. charts and # 2 on the UK charts, while his self titled album reached # 8 in the U.S. and was RIAA certified Gold; Dollarman (Grenada) who is the featured artist on the songs ‘Rock this Party’ and ‘Soundz of Freedom’ - both reached # 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart; and Lazo (Dominica) who won a Juno Award in 2000 for Best Reggae Recording for ‘Heart and Soul, are among a number of respected Caribbean musicians featured on a new compilation CD entitled ‘Love the Music’.

The project is the result of a strategic partnership between the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Ryff Music, with part of the proceeds going to the CTO scholarship programme, the CTO Foundation.

Also included in the line up are: Singing Melody (Jamaica) whose single ‘Want You Back’, reached #3 on the New York Reggae Top 30 and #1 on the Star Top 40; Natural Black (Guyana) who has had several hits including ‘Far From Reality’ and ‘Nice It Nice’; Kamau Georges (British Virgin Islands) one of the BVI’s most talented artist and producers; KB (Bahamas) one of the Bahamas most popular artist; Dudley (Bermuda) whose song ‘Bermudian Gal’ was a big radio hit and still enjoys radio play on Bermuda’s Hot 107.5’s; Aloe Blacc (Panamanian) whose song ‘I Need a Dollar’ is the theme song for the HBO hit show ‘How to Make it in America’; and Fae Simon (Carriacou and Jamaica), the UK’s upcoming artist. Producers who contributed to the project include Albert ‘Dvo’ Desilva (Guyana), Herbert Alexander (USVI), Kamau George (BVI), Max Tannone (USA) and several other talented Caribbean musicians.

In addition to the 12 full length songs on the album, there will be a bonus ‘Love the Mix’ CD produced by DJ Chigga featuring a variety of local Caribbean artist who submit their music on-line at www.ryffmusic.com.

The project will be distributed through Redeye distribution, the leading independent distributor for both physical and digital music around the world. Their retailers in the U.S. include chains such as Best Buy, Borders, f.y.e. and independent stores throughout the country. Redeye also exports records to Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and provides a digital distribution service that delivers content to iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and many other digital music stores. Redeye currently distributes such labels as Daptone Records, Alive Records, Bella Union Records, Revelation Records and artist such as Widespread Panic, The Donnas, Sun Public Enemy and Au Revoir Simone.

The CD will be made available in stores and on-line during Caribbean Heritage Month this month, with a series of promotional activities taking place during Caribbean Week in New York.

CTO 2010 Travel Writer/Photographer of the Year Awards announced

2010-06-14T15:12:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK, NY (June 14, 2010) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) today announced the winners of its 2010 Travel Writer/ Photographer of the Year awards.

Peter Jon Lindberg of Travel + Leisure was the Writer of the Year winning the Best in Show award for his piece entitled ‘Small Wonder: St. Lucia Redefines the Caribbean Vacation.” Lindberg’s article was also voted Best Feature Article in a Consumer Magazine – USA. The award for Best Photography – USA went to Bob Friel of Caribbean Travel + Life for his ‘Nature Meets Nurture’ photograph of a waterfall in Dominica.

The various winners received their awards today at a luncheon attended by Ministers, Commissioners and Directors of Tourism and senior tourism officials. The CTO Chairman, Hon. John Maginley presented the ‘Best in Show’ award to Lindberg, while the CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley presented the remaining awards.

The CTO Travel Writer/ Photographer of the Year awards are part of the CTO Worldwide Travel Writer/Photographer Awards Programme and was created to reward writers and photographers for their excellence in covering Caribbean tourism.

The following are the award categories and winners:

Best Feature Article in a Consumer Magazine - USA

Peter Jon Lindberg
Travel + Leisure
“Small Wonder: St. Lucia Redefines the Caribbean Vacation”

Best Feature Article in a Consumer Newspaper

Michael Nassar
NY Daily News
“Ultimate Caribbean: The New Yorker’s Guide to the Best of the Islands”

Best Feature Article in a Trade Publication

Joe Pike
Travel Agent
“The New Jamaica”

Best Photography -USA

Bob Friel
Caribbean Travel + Life
“Nature Meets Nurture”

Best Feature - Caribbean Media

Felicia Persaud
CaribbeanWorldNews.com
“Rastafarian Turns St. Maarten Hillside into Organic Farm”

Best Feature Broadcast - USA

ABC
“Scrubbs”
“My Soul on Fire” filmed in the Bahamas

Best in Show

Peter Jon Lindberg
Travel + Leisure
“Small Wonder: St. Lucia Redefines the Caribbean Vacation”

Meka Monitor...tracking top tourism news in the month of May

2010-05-31T21:45:00.002-04:00

1. Not good for business: Jamaica loses over US$300m in tourism revenue in wake of civil unrest as police search for alleged drug dealer

2. Jamaica tourist board pulls promotional ads temporarily as unrest makes worldwide headlines

3. In a snap: Trinidad and Tobago celebrates a new government after former Prime Minister calls a snap election and his party suffers a massive loss. Rupert Griffith is the new tourism minister.

4. Can we exhale?: The new coalition government in the UK reviews Airport Tax Duty

5. Roll the dice: Jamaica legalises casinos

6. Moving on up: Cuba on its way to becoming the number one tourism destination in the Caribbean

7. Hello?: Tourism slump in the Caribbean results in low revenues for Cable and Wireless

8. Rolling out the samba mat: Barbados woos Brazilians

9. Better and bigger: Alan Chastanet, St Lucia's tourism and travel minister, promises the 20th anniversary of St Lucia Jazz in 2011 would be memorable.

10.Big plans: Martinique's new tourism minister Karine Roy-Camille aims to increase visitor arrivals to 600,000 from just over 400,000 a year.

Martinique is Best Caribbean Destination

2010-05-31T21:40:00.002-04:00

Martinique was the runaway winner in the recent ”Best Caribbean Destination” poll conducted by About.com’s Caribbean Travel site. The Isle of Flowers was the preferred choice of 38 per cent of the 3,800 voters, outpacing second place finishers Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis, each with 26 percent of the vote. Among the seven other finalists placing even further behind Martinique were such notables as Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Mexican Caribbean (Cancun, Cozumel, etc.), Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda and St Maarten/St Martin.

Muriel Wiltord, director Americas for the Martinique Promotion Bureau /CMT USA, commented on the survey results, stating: "This is a wonderful affirmation that our special brand of tourism product, characterised by intimate boutique hotels and emphasizing nature, a rich cultural heritage, romance, scuba diving and gastronomy is winning the hearts of US travelers.”

The About.com honour is the latest in a recent string of accolades for Martinique. In November 2009, Caribbean World Magazine named Martinique “Best Gourmet Island of the Year” for a second consecutive year. This followed an impressive win by Martinique in an October 2009 Caribbean Travel + Life Magazine survey asking readers to name their favorite Caribbean destination for delectable dining. Martinique garnered 43.3 per cent of the 807 votes cast over the course of the one-month survey period.

Quoting the Caribbean

2010-05-31T21:27:00.004-04:00

This was received in my inbox from Marketplace Excellence, a full service, integrated mass communications agency committed to introducing excellence in the fields of public relations, marketing and media coaching. It's called Quotable Caribbean.

"I regret the entire affair and it has been deeply painful for me, members of my family and you who have been hurt and disappointed; in hindsight, the party should never have been involved in the way that it did, and I should never have allowed it, but I must express responsibility for it and express my remorse to the nation." - Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica ... on The "Dudus" Affair. (CMC)

"When you can earn US$800,000 for playing six weeks in the IPL (Indian Premier League), why waste six years trying to earn that sort of money in Test cricket? ... If this isn't controlled properly, Test cricket will die." - Jamaican Michael Holding, West Indies fast bowling cricket legend. (Barbados Nation)

"I think what we're going to try to do is take the best of what we've had over the past 20 years. So it's actually to sit down and review this particular (jazz) festival (and) look at the things that worked very very well." - Senator Allen Chastanet, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Saint Lucia ... on plans for next year's 20th anniversary of Saint Lucia Jazz. (Barbados Nation)

"With the tremendous success of the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, both held in 2009, we know that Trinidad & Tobago has made an indelible mark on the international and regional business travel market." - Ernest Littles, President of the Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

"There is an entire generation known as 'Generation Y' for whom the internet, mobile connectivity and on-demand content are essential ... and CSN (The Caribbean Streaming Network) will feed their insatiable appetite for digital content, by providing immediately available content on-the go. Our products and services are geared towards providing the consumer access to the vibrant cultures as well as the various business, hospitality and entertainment services that the Caribbean has to offer." - Barbadian Andrew Jemmott, Chairman and CEO of The Caribbean Streaming Network.

"The Jamaican and Trinidadian governments have to be commended for recognising that airlines are in fact aerial highways which not only bring tourism dollars into the country but also lift the region's goods and services to the global market. Like terrestrial road systems and bridges, airlines are aerial highways and are, therefore, an integral part of the infrastructure and worthy of direct and sustained government investment." - Lelei LeLaulu, Chair of the Leadership Council of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at The George Washington University's School of Business; and Vice President of Caribbean Media Exchange. (Trinidad Express)

"What kind of man would live where there is no daring? I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all." - Charles A. Lindbergh, American aviator.

Caribbean tourism betting on casinos

2010-05-08T21:01:00.011-04:00

As I tweeted about the passing of the casino gambling bill in Jamaica earlier this week, I wondered how much of an impact casinos really have on tourism. Tourism, was, after all, one of the reasons given for the introduction of the bill which has been undergoing debate for almost a year.

Senator Arthur Williams, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, reminded Jamaicans that the Casino Act 2010 would expand their tourism product, increase earnings, generate employment and increase tax revenues. In short, it would provide a much needed economic boon.

Instead of allowing the wanton establishment of casinos all over the island, the Act cleverly allows casinos in the context of luxury integrated resort developments, of which casino gaming will be but one component. It is expected that these resorts will also provide other tourist attractions such as shopping, sports and service centres. The Act states that casino gaming should be no more than 20 per cent of the total investment in any such approved resort.

Casinos are not new to the Caribbean; islands such as the Bahamas, which is facing a challenge from the US where more and more states are legalising gaming, has had a long-established relationship with casinos.

However, in recent times, it seems more islands are latching on to the idea of gambling as a tourism revenue earner, possibly as a response to the drop in tourist arrivals experienced last year.

Guyana, for one, welcomed its first in-house casino in March when the Princess Hotel opened theirs under legislation which states that the issuance of casino premises licenses will be granted only to a new hotel or resort complex which has a minimum of 150 rooms allocated for accommodation.

President Bharath Jagdeo, who apparently finds gambling distasteful, said his government is allowing it as a way for investors in the hotel business to accelerate their profitability. He also said the number of casinos in the country will be limited and they will be strictly monitored.

Barbados, which my Internet research shows has only one casino, is currently working on legislation to allow cruise ships to open their casinos while docked on the island. This is all part of the government's attempt to develop the island's cruise tourism and a task force has been set up to look at how they could improve in that area.

So are all these countries on the right track in choosing casino gambling as a boost to their tourism product?

Moral and spiritual arguments aside, casino gambling can serve to help with the development of the tourism industry.

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes explored this topic in a research paper on the question: How can casino gaming be used to maximise the benefits for tourism destinations?

The authors, Ki-Joon Back and John Bowen, argued that "casinos that target tourists maximise the benefits to their region's citizens and minimise gaming's negative effects. Las Vegas' transformation from a gaming destination into a meeting destination with gaming provides evidence of how gaming can support tourism."

They said a well-managed gaming operation, which provides a good value proposition to its target market, with fair government regulations and taxation, can produce good income. "We believe that a positive use of this income is to create amenities, such as restaurants, entertainment, and spas that can be used as a catalyst to attract both business tourism, in the form of meetings, and leisure tourism. These amenities can become profit centers in themselves; so, once created, they also provide a return on their investment."

Meka Monitor...tracking top tourism news in the month of April

2010-04-29T14:01:00.004-04:00

From today we are introducing the Meka Monitor which looks back at the top happenings in the region that impacts on tourism. We start with a retrospective on the month of April.

1.Two becomes one: Caribbean Airlines take over of Air Jamaica announced to become official on May 1. CAL chairman Arthur Lok Jack said the Trinidad government will pump $50 millioninto the deal.

2.Not good for business: Fifteen named storms expected in above average Hurricane season.

3.Great news! New report showed decline in Caribbean arrivals slowed at end of 2009 and is likely to improve in 2010.

4.Caribbean's gain: Volcanic ash grounded air traffic in Europe and helps boost tourism as tourists are stranded in the Caribbean

5.Improving service: Tourism ministers urged LIAT to improve its service. Read More Here

6.Pure beauty: Islands Magazine named Dominica the second most pure country

7.To market, to market Mon: Jamaica announced as venue for Caribbean Marketplace in 2011.

8.Best advertisement: The Bahamas got awesome props in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too which premiered earlier in April. Read about the benefits to the island here

9.Keeping ahead of the competition: Jamaica's tourism minister outlined plansto keep Jamaican tourism as the leader in the Caribbean

10.No laurel resting here: St Kitt's tourism stakeholders meet to strategise on enhancing their tourism product.

Is the Caribbean ready to deal with a major earthquake

2010-03-10T14:42:00.003-04:00

There was a 3.9 earthquake in the Gulf of Paria today. The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre located in St Augustine, Trinidad, said the earthquake was felt in the Central part of Trinidad.

Though a minor event, the news of the tremor will do nothing to ease an already unsettled Caribbean populace, now earthquake wary after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti back in January, a 5.8-magnitude tremor in the vicinity of the Cayman Islands a few days later and the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile a few weeks ago.

Located in the Hurricane belt, the Caribbean, especially those islands that get battered every year, are pretty prepared for the Hurricane season.

The specter of more earthquakes in the future raises the important question of how ready the Caribbean is to handle large magnitude tremors including any resultant Tsunamis. Currently, there are no Tsunami warning systems in the Caribbean but according to the The Caribbean Disaster Management Agency a multinational, multiagency initiative to establish a program for reducing the risk to various coastal hazards in the Caribbean and adjacent regions (Central and South American countries along the Caribbean Basin) is underway but it may be several years before this is complete.

Following the earthquake in Chile, many were quick to point out that a major reason for a smaller scale of destruction was due to the country's stronger building codes, as compared to Haiti, where practically none existed and there was little to no planning for the construction of houses.

In Trinidad and Tobago, there has been a call for the establishment of formal building codes and warnings that the islands could face similar damage to Haiti if a major earthquake strikes.

The blow the region's fragile tourism industry could face if more major earthquakes strike is obvious. One just has to look at Haiti that was just getting its tourism legs back. Many of its major hotels have been damaged and airlines canceled flights.

The good news is that Caribbean governments have been shocked into action with organisations such as the Association of Caribbean States rallying Governments to implement early warning systems and other measures to reduce widespread destruction in the event of a major natural disaster.

We can only pray some of these measures are put into place before another large-scale disaster strikes.

St Kitt's luxury real estate market gets boost from Ocean's Edge Resorts

2010-03-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

Ocean's Edge Resort in St Kitts recently celebrated the completion of its first villa.

Located 180 feet above sea level, this 4,500 square-foot luxury villa includes three bedrooms plus a guest house pavilion and a 25 foot long infinity edge pool. The villa, with its three terraces, offers spectacular views to the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, the Royal St Kitts Golf Course and St Kitts’ lush landscape of mountains and rainforest.

Robert Scott, Regional Director at Ocean’s Edge described the completion of the villa as an exciting milestone. "we are proud to have completed and handed over the finished product to our esteemed villa owners. The vision is now a reality, and we are thrilled."

Ocean’s Edge, located on the Eastern side of the island overlooking frigate bay, is a resort development with plans for 190 condominiums and 32 villa lots for bespoke villas. To date, of the 15 villa plots currently released for sale, nine have been sold with construction of four villas currently underway and commencement of a further two villas set to begin shortly.

Clients with an interest in purchasing property can participate in a three-night subsidized inspection trip to experience St Kitts and Ocean’s Edge first hand. For more information on Ocean’s Edge Resort please email info@oceansedgestkitts.com or visit www.oceansedgestkitts.com

New blogsite showcases lesser known islands in the Caribbean

2010-03-01T12:04:00.000-04:00

UncommonCaribbean.com, a new blogsite designed to promote travel to the Caribbean by spotlighting the region’s lesser-known charms, celebrates its official launch today. The site is the brainchild of two brothers from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – Steve Bennett (38), a public relations executive with nearly 20 years of experience in Caribbean travel and tourism marketing, and his brother Patrick Bennett (34), a New York-based advertising creative director with such notable clients as Samsung, Kraft, Six Flags, and Verizon on his resume.

Uncommon Caribbean features a bright, clean design with subtle hints of a treasure map motif in line with the site’s mission to introduce readers to the Caribbean’s “undiscovered” charms. New copy content is added to the site each weekday covering a wide range of topics – gastronomy and spirits, vacation deals, photography, nightlife, resorts, personalities and more – in brief, easy-to-read lengths.

Steve commented on the site, saying: “Uncommon Caribbean is a labor of love for us that we hope entertains and inspires people to get out and explore new and different elements of the region that perhaps they’ve never tried in the past, or ever even heard about.”

Patrick added: “To me, the best travel experiences come from really delving into a foreign culture and experiencing it first hand. Helping people figure out how to do this in the Caribbean is really at the heart of what we’re trying to accomplish with the site.”

For more information about Uncommon Caribbean, please visit www.uncommoncaribbean.com.

New report looks at what American tourists want

2010-02-20T22:28:00.000-04:00

A new report from Tourism Intelligence International entitled “How Americans Will Travel 2015”, predicts that Americans will want more than just Sun, Sand and Sea on their holidays. They will increasingly look for Culture and Content when making their travel plans. This has important implications for destinations seeking to attract North American travellers, particularly Caribbean islands where most two-thirds (63.4%) of all arrivals are from the North America. In fact, North Americans accounts for more than 90% of inbound arrivals to the Bahamas; 78% for Jamaica; 56% Trinidad and Tobago; 46% for St. Lucia and 35% for Barbados.

Dr. Auliana Poon, Managing Director of Tourism Intelligence International and author of “How Americans will Travel 2015” argues that the “Creative Class” of American Travellers is not simply looking to bask in the sun and get sun burnt. They want to experience the culture of a place they visit; they what to know about the content or “goodness” of a product before they buy it.

For Americans, taking part in activities of a cultural nature while on holiday is growing. More than half (51%) of the 40 million Americans travelling abroad visit historical places; almost one-third (32%) visit cultural heritage sites; and one-quarter (25%) went to an art gallery or museum, according to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Americans’ interest in culture is definitely on the increase. And not just for the big-ticket mega events. North Americans are also keenly interested in small local events such as the Fish Fry at Oistins (Barbados), Anse La Ray (St Lucia), and Gouyave (Grenada); small rum shops and bars in local communities and villages such as Smokey and Buntey in St. James, Trinidad. Also on the increase is demand for cultural events at local communities in which visitors participate and blend in with locals (rather than events put on just for the visitors and where they are in the majority and are onlookers rather than participants). Events such as the Heritage Festival and Goat Race in Tobago; Divali and Pagwa in Trinidad, not to mention Trinidad Carnival itself, can be clear winners among the ‘Creative Class’ of North Americas.

“How Americans Will Travel 2015” points to the growth in participation of the ‘Creative Class’ also known as the Bourgeoisie Bohemians (Bobos), for whom intrinsic values and content are important considerations in their travel decisions. In terms of their attitude to food, they are not simply interested in drinking orange juice. They want to know whether the juice is freshly squeezed; is it genetically engineered; is it organically grown; what is the carbon footprint associated with getting the orange juice to them; and are the farmers who produce them fairly paid? They are not just interested in the product, but where it comes from as well as in its intrinsic values and content.

Similarly, with regard to holidays, the diverse and individualistic lifestyles of the Creative Class involve active participation and experiential activities that are multidimensional. They enjoy the ‘Street Level Culture’, considered as a “teeming blend of cafes, sidewalk musicians, and small galleries and bistros, where it is hard to draw the line between participant and observer, or between creativity and its creators”. Members of the Creative Class enjoy unique experiences and they would rather be a participant rather than a spectator. They want activities that manage to appeal to their sense of status and self-improvement at the same time.

These findings suggest that the Caribbean cannot continue to compete on sun, sand and sea alone. Culture and Content will need to be added to the tourism offer in order for Caribbean islands to stay competitive in the changing North American market.

The US continues to be an important travel market. In terms of spending, the USA is the most important outbound market in the world. More than 40 million Americans travel abroad, accounting for 63.5 million trips. US travellers abroad spent US$118 billion, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. This makes the US the largest travel market in terms of expenditure and the second largest market in terms of outbound arrivals.

At the same time, US travel market has been under tremendous pressure – from war, terrorism and recession to fear, falling house prices, falling income levels, and rising unemployment. This has had a negative impact on US outbound travel with consequent declines in travel. Analysts predicted that Americans will spend as much as US$30 billion less on leisure trips in spring and summer of 2009

Dr. Auliana Poon asserts, however, that Americans are trading down but not out – they are travelling closer to home; staying away from home for shorter periods; using less expensive accommodation; but they are travelling. In addition, with the ‘Obama Effect’, Americans are more hopeful, less fearful and pent up desires will cause a major boom in travel with the emerging upswing. Indeed, many stressed out Americans, who postponed or reduced travel because of the recession, would take advantage of the new growth in the economy to take a much-deserved vacation.

Despite the challenges, Tourism Intelligence International predicts that US outbound to international destinations (excluding Canada and Mexico) will continue to increase to 2015, reaching 32.88 million by the year 2015, up from 30.79 million in 2008. This represents an average rate of a mere 1% per annum. However, some destinations and regions are expected to perform better than others.

Critically, Tourism Intelligence International forecasts reveal that American arrivals to the Caribbean will continue to decline to the year 2015. The decline is expected to be in the vicinity of almost 8% between 2008 and 2015. This represents an average decline of 1.2 percent per annum.

To win in this changing American market and regain market share, Caribbean tourism destinations should look beyond the numbers to the fundamental demographic and psychographic shifts taking place among North Americans, particularly the rise of the ‘Creative Class’. Focus on Culture and Content of holiday offerings will be key.

This volume will equip any travel and tourism provider with over 25 key strategies to attract the different types of American travellers, including the creative class and other generations of American travellers.

How Americans will Travel 2015 – Everything you need to know about the American and Canadian travel Markets – is available only from Tourism Intelligence International. Find out how the Americans will travel in the next five years? What have been the effects of the Global Economic Recession? What are the key drivers that affect the market? What strategies your company can adopt in successfully targeting the North American travel market?

If there is one report that you should read this year to enable you to win in this market, it is “How the Americans Will Travel 2015”. This 350-page report – published by Tourism Intelligence International, Trinidad – highlights the latest trends, data and essential information to fully understand the North American travel market over the next five years. The report, priced at €1,299 is presented in a clear and concise format supported by over 200 tables and graphs. The Executive Brief is available at €499 and individual chapters are priced at €199 each. Multi user electronic copies are also available.

“How Americans Will Travel 2015” will be presented at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday 10th March 2010 at 3:00 p.m.

CMEx wants Caribbean tourism to help Haiti recover

2010-01-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (January 14, 2010) - The Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), which promotes sustainable tourism development among media practitioners and industry tourism stakeholders, believes that this week's deadly earthquake in Port-au-Prince is an opportunity for Caribbean countries to find innovative ways to help the survivors put their lives back together.

"The richer countries and international organizations are best equipped to deal with the urgent need for cash, medicines and earth-moving machinery," but CMEx director Lelei LeLaulu urged the "family of Caribbean nations to use their strengths to help Haiti re-build a stronger nation driven by a dynamic and resilient economy."

"The strength of the Caribbean is centered on tourism so the region should look for ways of using tourism to feed resources not only to the devastated areas, but also to communities in other parts of Haiti," he added.

"Effective recovery requires helping all parts of the country," opined LeLaulu, who recalled "Haiti was already suffering from an economic catastrophe before the earthquake leveled its capital. This is a golden opportunity for the region to step up and ensure its stricken sister nation is able to rise and to be an equal partner in the Caribbean community of nations."

The earthquake hit just as Haiti was starting to emerge from lawlessness and other social problems, and was beginning to attract visitors. Hotel groups like Choice Hotels International were preparing to add new properties on the island.

The U.S. State Department is urging Americans to avoid travel to Haiti but the CMEx director strongly suggested "everybody should make future plans to travel to Haiti, not to get in the way of relief and reconstruction efforts, but to spend their tourist dollars in ways which help people and their communities ensure the recovery is a lasting one. The rich cultural heritage will make it an unforgettable experience for first-time visitors to Haiti."

Dr. Basil Springer, a CMEx founder and director declared, "Haiti's crisis provides an opportunity to lay a strong foundation on which to reduce the wealth divide; the regional and international travel and tourism community must also help to restore the glory of a nation to which we as Caribbean people will always be indebted in the struggle for independence.We must all urgently rally around and support the Haitian people in their thrust for socio-economic independence. Today, we are all Haitian."

"And, this is not a new nation - Haiti is the first independent black republic and indeed the second independent state in the Americas," he asserted.

CMEx provides a neutral platform for the continuing discussion of the key linkages between media, government, private sector and civil society in ensuring tourism enhances the health, environment, education, culture, and wealth of destinations in a climate-friendly fashion.

CTO responds to disaster in Haiti

2010-01-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

STATEMENT BY THE CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION ON EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and the extensive damage caused by the earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday. Our prayers are with the People of Haiti, all of whom must be deeply touched in one way or another by this tragedy.

We offer our sincerest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives and to those who are grieving their loss.

It is evident that in the aftermath of this terrible disaster the challenge is to alleviate the suffering. We at the CTO and throughout our member countries in the Caribbean will be doing whatever is necessary to offer financial and other assistance and to coordinate relief efforts in the days and weeks ahead. We know that with the support of friends around the world, the strength and resolve of the Haitians themselves will prevail.

John Maginley, MP

Chairman

Council of Ministers and Commissioners

Caribbean Tourism Organization

CTO teams up with Volleyball Vacations

2009-11-13T20:41:00.000-04:00

For the third consecutive year, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), will bring championship volleyball to the Caribbean, showcasing the skills of Olympic and pro players and coaches during GObeachfest 2009. Organized by Volleyball Vacations, GObeachfest will take place at Club Med Turkoise located in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, from November 7-21. The star-studded matches will feature Olympic champions including 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Phil Dalhausser and 2008 Olympian Sean Rosenthal.

“Beach volleyball is a popular sport in the Caribbean and we are ecstatic to host such high calibre volleyball players in our Region,” said Sylma Brown, Director of Marketing (Ag.) of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. “The sports tourism industry has been a driving factor in boosting arrivals to the Caribbean, so we’d like to continue to host key events such as this to support the interests of these travelers.”

GObeachfest is designed as a full athletic retreat and destination vacation targeting sports enthusiasts who want to train and network with pro athletes. The event will offer all of the amenities of a beach resort vacation with the addition of world-class athletic training and socializing with people of similar interests. Pro athletes from many disciplines and backgrounds will offer daily training sessions to attendees in addition to participating in the volleyball tournaments.

“The goal is to provide our participants with the opportunity to meet new friends from all over the world in a beautiful setting,” said Albert Hannemann, founder and CEO of Volleyball Vacations and GObeachfest. “This itinerary is not just for volleyball enthusiasts, but also for anyone who wants to learn sports from the best coaches in the world and enjoy theme parties, world class DJ's and listen to live bands during the action-packed nightly entertainment.”

The 2009 GObeachfest will feature the following pro athletes and trainers:

Albert Hannemann - Director of the 2009 AVP VIP Fan Experience, Director of the AVP Juniors Camps and Clinics, Olympic Festival Gold Medalist and founder and CEO of Volleyball Vacations and GObeachfest

Kim Lyons – Celebrity Trainer, Fitness Pro, Celebrity Trainer on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” Author Your Body, Your Life

Matt Olson – Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Pro, winner of the 2008 Belmar, NJ AVP Open, 2x National Club Champion at UofA, Ranked 4th on the AVP tour

Sean Rosenthal, 2008 Olympian - AVP Tour Champion, AVP Best Defensive Player, FIVB Top Rookie, AVP Best Server

Gunter Schlierkamp – Mr. Universe, Bodybuilding Pro, Professional bodybuilder, Actor and Fitness Celebrity

Francisco Escudero - Sky Banditz Kite-boarding Pro, Founder SkyBAnditz Kite-boarding Center, Florida Kitesurfing Association North Miami Beach

Eric ‘T-Bones’ Masson – Beach Volleyball Pro, Level 3 Certified Coach in Canada, Level 2-3 Master Leaning Facilitation, Olympic team Canada Coach on the FIVB World Tour

Sin Jin Smith – AVP Legend, Beach Volleyball Pro, original “King of the Beach”, 11 international & World Championships, 1st Player to reach 100 career open victories, 1st US team to qualify for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, UCLA Sports Hall of Fame

Tarin Keith - Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Pro, Owner of Visionary Essence

TY Loomis - Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Pro, 2009 AVP Crocs Tour Champion, Australian Pro Tour Champion

Allen Chastenet wins Caribbean Travel Personality of the Year

2009-11-13T20:34:00.002-04:00

Saint Lucia's Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Senator Allen Chastanet, has been named the Caribbean Travel Personality of the Year.

Senator Chastanet won the honor at the prestigious 2009 World Travel Awards in London, England over the weekend.

The World Travel Awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

"It's with great humility that I accept this award on behalf of the Government and people of Saint Lucia," said the Senator, who saluted his fellow Saint Lucian nationals for their commitment to excellence across the hospitality industry.

At the Awards, Saint Lucia once again copped the Caribbean's and World's Leading Honeymoon Destination designations, while the Caribbean's Leading Spa Resort went to The Body Holiday LeSport. The Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand and the World's Leading All-Inclusive Company went to Sandals Resorts.

"As a Saint Lucian, I am deeply honored to witness such a small destination create a big bang on the world stage," said Saint Lucia's Director of Tourism Louis Lewis, who acknowledged that the weekend awards were additional stimulus for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board to continue striving to improve in today's competitive travel and tourism environment.

Senator Chastanet, who is credited with starting the world acclaimed Saint Lucia Jazz festival, was Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Windjammer Landing in Saint Lucia before being appointed the island's Director of Tourism in the early 1990s.

He became Director of Sales and Marketing at Island Outpost in the mid-90s before serving as Director, then Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at Air Jamaica for eight years.

In 2001, Travel Agent magazine named Senator Chastanet "Caribbean Destination Person of the Year," and in 2003 he returned to his native Saint Lucia to open Coco Resorts in Rodney Bay Village.

He was appointed to the Saint Lucia cabinet in 2006 and assumed the chairmanship of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Senator Allen Chastanet holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bishop's University in Quebec, Canada as well as an M.Sc. in Development Banking from American University in Washington D.C.

Opening Speech by Fiona Jeffrey at World Travel Market

2009-11-09T16:57:00.002-04:00

Baroness Morris of Bolton, President of World Travel Market’s Advisory Council, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, Distinguished Guests and Friends.

30 years ago when World Travel Market took its first tentative steps, it was a very different world. All of us felt privileged to be involved in an industry that was, without a shadow of a doubt, going places.

Yes, inevitably, there were vast mountains to climb - but in those early years, it was exciting and invigorating.

True, the pace of change was swift and as the industry was changing, so were our customers.

They were demanding new thrills and experiences; they wanted cheap flights and an ever growing array of choice and budget options. Weekends away, holidays in far flung places, luxury, special interest breaks, gap years, adventure, extreme sports, remote islands.

Even the over 50s, fitter and more active then ever before, were choosing trips to Antarctica and journeys around-the-world.

There was an unquenchable thirst for everything new and different.

As the right to travel became almost a fundamental principle to millions across the world - regardless of background, class, creed or culture - World Travel Market played a crucial role. The event became the ever growing backdrop for increasing co-operation and integration between destinations and operators, conducting business and showcasing a widening range of services and products to a global marketplace. We wanted to create an atmosphere that generated dynamism and energy while at the same time fostering flexibility, understanding and above all, trust.

We embraced the immense opportunities of travel technology, the biggest revolution since the days when Thomas Cook first organised package holiday tours. A development that completely re-engineered distribution strategies, bringing new entrants to the travel industry and increasing competition.

As an industry we’ve faced pandemics, natural disasters, escalating fuel prices and of course 9/11.

It triggered a new, challenging era; the industry momentarily lost confidence; people, fearful of their lives and that of their staff and customers, even questioned whether World Travel Market should go ahead.

But it was also a time of extraordinary strength, a remarkable illustration of the industry coming together for the common good.

We united that year in a way that we’ve never done before or since, proving to ourselves as much as the rest of the world, that whatever was thrown at the industry we would remain steadfast.

As I remember that terrible time, it makes me realise that World Travel Market’s ability to mirror the industry in its many moods, is perhaps one of its greatest strengths. In times of difficulty, its good to have a focus that binds the industry while at the same time, delivers business and an opportunity to talk and debate.

However, it’s over these past two years, amidst the worst global economic downturn in living memory, that World Travel Market has strived even more to help the industry with a different mountain to conquer.

There’s an old saying here in the UK that every cloud has a silver lining and I hope we‘ve assisted business to ride out the storm more effectively by stressing the need to improve efficiency, introduce new skills, new markets and encourage creativity, innovation and, above all, supreme customer value.

In these difficult times, the private sector needs resolute public sector support, investment, forward thinking leadership and direction, cementing a fundamental relationship between business and government and introducing greater understanding and strong co-operation.

Tomorrow is the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit, hosted by World Travel Market, when more than one hundred Ministers and senior aides will face the challenges of the Road to Recovery and addressing issues such as climate change and poverty reduction as part of that pathway.

The idea of an annual summit for Ministers came from our determination to get to the heart of the matter, regardless of its complexities, embracing every level of decision making - from boardroom to government mandate.

We’ve spoken out too on the hot topics of the day. Responsible Tourism is one of those areas which targets the core of our industry and our 3 day programme at World Travel Market reflects this belief.

This is not a new issue for World Travel Market – we started this particular lobby in 1994, born from a simple belief that we have a responsibility to protect the very product we seek to promote.

WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is now in its third year, bringing together destinations and operators in what we hope is an inspiring way, educating and spurring the industry on to positive action.

Spotlight, World Travel Market’s colour magazine, champions what’s new and innovative in responsible tourism, revealing inspiring stories to preserve and protect the world, making better places for people to visit and better places for people to live.

Only you can judge whether we’ve achieved our aim to support industry business in every way we can, but at the same time, we’ve tried to keep World Travel Market fresh, productive and enjoyable.

Now we must look to the future - not the past.

Confront it and relish it.

Take a look at this….
(30TH ANNIVERSARY FILM)
As you see from our film, the future and the next 30 years are there for the taking.

There’s no shortage of ideas, no lack of vision for the long term forecast of travel and tourism.

But there’s a noticeable difference in the thinking behind the industry now compared to even a few years ago.

Consumers are becoming more caring, thoughtful and considerate. It may be the credit crunch, of course, and the need for everyone to ‘tighten their belts’. It might just be a universal response to such pressing issues as climate change or pictures of the sickening tide of third world poverty that floods into our living rooms and offices every day of the week that’s triggering a quiet revolution.

There’s a growing realisation that sustainability is absolutely integral to the industry’s future success. I make no apologies for sounding over dramatic when I say that the industry will not have a future at all unless it takes responsible tourism as seriously as customer service, value for money and comfy beds.

World Travel Market is also trying to put its house in order.

Let me say right away that we do not pretend to be perfect! But like thousands of others in this industry, we’re doing our level best to make positive change happen.

With the support and encouragement of Reed Exhibitions and our parent company Reed Elsevier, we’ve committed to a more sustainable event management system by being certified for BS8901, the internationally recognised British Standard for Sustainable Event Management.

Our commitment to support local communities close to ExCeL with The Richard House Hospice, providing care for terminally ill children, is complemented by our work with the international water-aid charity Just a Drop, launched by World Travel Market 11 years ago, and is now, helping more than one million children and their families in 28 countries.

Just a Drop could never have achieved this much without the help of so many companies and individuals, especially my own organisation Reed Exhibitions who have encouraged and supported us over the years with resource, office back-up and wise counsel.

Now as we look to the future to identify new opportunities, it’s apparent that sports tourism is one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors and this year, for the first time, World Travel Market is highlighting the business potential that sports tourism offers the industry.

Our guest of honour this morning is Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and when Boris memorably invited the world in Beijing to come to London for the 2012 Olympics, he was referring to what will possibly be the most frequented sports tourism event the world has ever known.

And right here at ExCeL London, you can already get a glimpse of what the London Olympics will look like. The £168m expansion of ExCeL will not only be the first stadia completed as part of the Games, but also forms part of World Travel Market’s spectacular ‘new’ home in November 2010.

The newly completed London ICC ExCeL increases space by 50%, including a 5,000 seat convention centre, and will become a focus for spectators around the world who watch the 2012 Olympics either on television or in person.
The prospect is a compelling one and World Travel Market has many exciting plans to lift the event into a dynamic and innovative era reflective of further industry progress.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm travel industry welcome to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

Is tourism a priority for Trinidad and Tobago?

2009-11-09T16:24:00.002-04:00

That's a question that I've been mulling for some time and I am not convinced that tourism is a priority in the oil and gas rich twin-island state.

For a while I was encouraged to believe T&T was getting serious about its tourism product. I was encouraged by the appearance of a draft tourism policy (yet another) and public consultations on said document, the boosting of room stock with the construction of the Hyatt Regency, Carlton Savannah and other hotels to come, and the hosting of two mega conferences, the Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. For a while I believed the Government was finally getting serious and putting an effort into exploiting the country as a major player in the regional tourism industry.

Then came the budget and the biggest item under tourism was the multimillion dollar redevelopment of Maracas Bay, the most popular beach on the island. No mention of money to fund the new policy, no talk of money to market the country, nothing. I was confused; tourism is a labour intensive industry and with all the Prime Minister's talk about diversification of the economy, one would think developing the tourism industry would be a priority given the number of jobs that could be created within the industry.

This week I saw two articles that supports my view on where the country is headed as far as tourism is concerned. The first was a column in the Business Guardian from the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association.

In the column entitled Trinidad as a tourism product, the association basically said while the country has all the ingredients for a good tourism product, they do not constitute a reason for tourists to visit.

"The real problem lies in the fact that despite having dedicated Ministry of Tourism, complete with its own state agency for implementation, there is no c politically agreed strategic plan through which to understand consumer needs and develop that product accordingly. Despite all the talk of economic diversification, until tourism becomes a political priority, this won't happen," the association wrote.

The association called for a strategic retreat to assess the country's competitive potential and shape a plan for its development. I don't think that suggestion will be heeded and here's why.

In his Sunday Guardian column, Lennox Grant compared T&T's tourism efforts with that of Barbados.

"That tourism is the business of Barbados remains obvious on an island where projected climate-change effects on sea levels and temperatures were making banner headlines last week. That tourism is also Tobago’s business more and more attains the status of an inconvenient truth, on the way to becoming outdated. At the Cove complex opening, last month, Prime Minister Patrick Manning advertised Tobago’s future as an exporter of natural gas. THA spokesmen painted a high-wage, energy-industry picture, implying Tobago’s eventual adoption of that familiar Trinidad indifference to tourism."

With crime in Tobago, especially against foreigners, increasing, one has to wonder if the plan is indeed to diversify the sister isle away from its dependence on tourism.

It's no secret the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is all about promoting the energy sector and developing downstream industries. That's their idea of diversification. In the meantime the Tourism Development Company will continue to urge Trinis "to stay to get away". After all, if the country is not willing to do what is necessary to attract people to the island, then it's better to get the locals to fill up those fancy hotels...right?

New hotels for Trinidad, marketing boost for Tobago in 2010 budget

2009-09-07T21:59:00.002-04:00

The Trinidad and Tobago government today unveiled its budget for the 2010 fiscal year. Finance minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira read the budget. Below is the part of the budget that deals with tourism.

Mr. Speaker, as we continue our diversification thrust in keeping with our Vision 2020 National Strategic Plan, the Government’s approach to Tourism has been quite novel as we leverage our emerging position as a financial centre with the traditional leisure options to extend our markets. We are fortunate to have three high quality products and experiences to market internationally, namely, Trinidad, Tobago and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Speaker, although this has been a challenging year for the tourism sector globally, Trinidad and Tobago has succeeded in maintaining its position as a preferred tourist destination and has a good story to tell. This performance was bolstered by the increased business tourist arrivals generated by the hosting of the 5th Summit of the Americas Conference in April of this year which put paid to any doubts of our ability to market destination Trinidad and Tobago to a full range of clients.

During the new fiscal year the Government will maintain this momentum in our quest to achieve a sustainable tourism sector by increasing airlift and room stock; enhancing the tourism plant; implementing an aggressive campaign to expand the markets for business, leisure and domestic tourism and by working with stakeholders in the sector to prevent the erosion of this destination’s Caribbean market share, as the strong competitive surge of response to these difficult new economic conditions by other Caribbean destinations become manifest.

Mr. Speaker, airlift and the significant escalation in travel costs are a serious challenge to the tourism industry worldwide. Airlines will choose routes that will maximize their returns and will go to countries with a critical mass in terms of quality accommodation that will support a significant share of their load factor. This means that we have to create the environment which will encourage direct flights and provide inducements for co-marketing arrangements that maintain airlift.

By the end of 2009, we would have emerged in a much stronger position in terms of available business oriented hotel room stock and meeting and conference facilities through the country’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November this year.

An additional 50 rooms have been built by Cara Suites in Claxton Bay, as part of their expansion of the existing hotel. The Star Hotel in Piarco will add 120 rooms, the Carlton Savannah 165 rooms and the Academy for the Performing Arts a further 52 rooms before the end of the year. Mr. Speaker, a large international hotel chain has shown tremendous interest in constructing a hotel at Invaders Bay which is now available to potential investors.

We will introduce the Tobago destination to groups of third party intermediaries in North America who are relatively unfamiliar with the Trinidad and Tobago destination. During the new fiscal year by focusing on Tobago’s traditional niche market strengths, dive and eco-tourism for instance, we will further and more widely introduce the destination’s product to these travel intermediaries with particular outreach to a select number of Caribbean market specialists in these areas. The Tourism Development Company (TDC) will work even more aggressively and actively with foreign outbound travel trade specialists to further induce their interest to sell the destination and create a wider perception of “value for spend” among their clients.

Mr. Speaker, in previous Budgets, the Government outlined its plans to refurbish and restore popular local sites of interest to increase the attractiveness of the destination. To this end, drainage works and new and improved signage at Manzanilla, Macqueripe and Vessigny have been completed. The upgrade of these facilities for access to persons with disabilities is expected to be completed shortly.

The Maracas Redesign and Restoration Project began in April this year and is expected to be completed by September 2012. The completed new Maracas Beach Facility will provide increased beach space for visitors in addition to new facilities such as an events area, bathrooms, main pavilion and administration building. The upgraded beach facility, the associated infrastructure and improved utilities will provide additional employment and a better quality of life for the North Coast communities. It will also provide an optimum beach experience for nationals and visitors and contribute to the improvement of the overall tourism product of Trinidad and Tobago.

WTTC launches 'Call for Entries' for 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

2009-08-24T13:32:00.001-04:00

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is now inviting tourism companies and organisations from around the world that can demonstrate best practice in sustainable tourism development to submit their applications for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 2 December 2009.

To quote Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President & CEO of WTTC: "The Awards, now in their sixth year under WTTC's stewardship, exemplify the Council's multi-stakeholder vision set out in the Blueprint for New Tourism that looks beyond short-term considerations and focuses on benefits not only for the people who travel, but also for people in the communities they visit, and for their respective natural, social and cultural environments."

"The Travel & Tourism industry as a whole has radically changed the way it views sustainability, moving it from the sidelines to centre stage," says Costas Christ, Chairman of Judges of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.
The finalists and winners will:

* be publicly recognised and will meet government and industry leaders at the Awards ceremony which takes place at WTTC's annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit
* receive outstanding, international media exposure thanks to WTTC's extensive media partnerships
* be endorsed by a panel of judges comprising internationally acclaimed experts in sustainable tourism.

The Awards are known for their rigorous judging process that follows a three-step approach. To quote Costas Christ: "They are the only global accolade in the field of sustainable travel practices that includes an on-site verification process. This is really the signature key of these Awards."

The Awards are determined in four categories, including:

* Destination Stewardship Award: This award goes to a destination - country, region, state, or town - which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organisations that show dedication to, and success in, maintaining a programme of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.
* Conservation Award: Open to any tourism business, organisation or attraction, including lodges, hotels, or tour operators, able to demonstrate that their tourism development and operations have made a tangible contribution to the conservation of natural heritage.
* Community Benefit Award: This award is for a tourism initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.
* Global Tourism Business Award: Open to any large company from any sector of Travel & Tourism - cruise lines, hotel groups, airlines, tour operators, etc - with at least 200 full-time employees and operating in more than one country or in more than one destination in a single country, this award recognises best practices in sustainable tourism at a large company level.

The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are endorsed by WTTC Members, as well as other organisations and companies. They are organised in association with two Strategic Partners:Travelport and The Leading Travel Companies' Conservation Foundation. Other sponsors/supporters include: Adventures in Travel Expo, BEST Education Network, the Daily Telegraph, Friends of Nature, Rainforest Alliance, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Sustainable Travel International, Travesias, USA Today and the World Heritage Alliance.

For further information about the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards or for details on how to apply, please contact Susann Kruegel, Manager e-Strategy and Tourism for Tomorrow Awards at info@tourismfortomorrow.com or by phone on +44 (0) 20 7481 8007, or visit our website at www.tourismfortomorrow.com

Presenters announced for conference on responsible tourism

2009-08-13T21:52:00.000-04:00

On October 19th to the 23rd, 2009 the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations will be carried out in Belmopan City, Belize. Delegates from all around the world will convene to witness, discuss, and share presentations and their professional hindsight on some pressing issues of the Global Tourism Industry.

Our list of presenters includes Dr. Harold Goodwin, ICRT-UK; Adama Bah ICRT-West Africa; Ron Mader, Planeta.com; Sharon Pererra, Protected Areas Conservation Trust; Guido Bauer, Green Globe International; Andrea Gough, World Heritage Alliance; Dr. Bill Eishbaum, World Wildlife Fund; Dr. Martha Honey, CESD; Dr. Robert Richardson, Michigan State University, and the list of respected experts in the Tourism and Sustainable Development field continues.

These panelists will be expounding on topics that include Tourism and Local Economic Development; Tourism Impacts on Climate Change; The Impacts of Cruise Tourism; Second Homes and Condominiums and their impact on local communities; Tourism Impacts on Marine and Coastal Zones; and Tourism Planning for Natural Disaster and Pandemics.

The Co-directors and team at ICRT-Belize and the country of Belize, invites all to visit and participate in this grand one-week event. For more information, please feel free to contact info@icrtbelize.org or abil@icrtbelize.org.

Caribbean Airlines clears the air

2009-07-30T20:10:00.001-04:00

PIARCO, Trinidad and Tobago – Caribbean Ailines CEO, Philip Saunders responds to statements made in the national media regarding Caribbean Airlines.

There are several points which we wish to clarify, Caribbean Airlines has made great progress in financial terms since its launch. In 2007, our financial statements illustrate that Caribbean Airlines exceeded our business plan objectives with a profit of USD $6.9 million before formation, structuring and transition costs. In 2008, we committed to delivering a break even position and in fact, achieved a net profit on a fully consolidated basis.

At present, the airline industry is facing the most challenging times in recent history and Caribbean Airlines has not been exempt from these negative effects. As a result, we are working hard to ensure that the company is able to return a profit for 2009 and shall continue to focus on growing passenger numbers, maximizing revenues and rigorously addressing our cost base.

On the basis of our highly competitive fares, industry-leading on-time performance and outstanding full service product, we are confident that we shall continue to build customer loyalty. We provided service for 1,642,998 customers in 2008 - compared to 849,298 in 2007 - and are well on the way to achieving our highest passenger numbers to date in 2009. It should also be pointed out that, inclusive of the London route, BWIA transported 1,198,396 passengers in 2004, 1,101,602 in 2005 and 961,311 in 2006. It is clear that Caribbean Airlines has become the carrier of choice to, from and within the Caribbean.

Our airline must continue on a path that makes economic sense if it is to function as a sustainable and profitable company. Given the current climate where even industry leaders such as Delta Airlines and British Airways are seriously challenged, we must ensure that all decisions – including any potential service to London – are accompanied by robust business cases which apply to our economic model.

Chief Executive Officer

CTO honours Caribbean media

2009-06-12T09:41:00.000-04:00

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) paid tribute to members of the U.S. and Caribbean media communities during a special Caribbean Media Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 11 at the New Yorker Hotel as part of Caribbean Week in New York 2009 (www.onecaribbean.org). David Bear, former travel editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was honored with the afternoon’s grand prize of “Best in Show” for his newspaper article entitled “Casual Anguilla Harbors Miles of Superb Beaches.” Bear also took home the prize for “Best Feature Article in a Consumer Newspaper” for the same.

“The CTO Awards are a vitally important part of Caribbean Week in New York, serving as our annual recognition for the national media in both the United States and the Caribbean who have been positively advocating tourism to the Caribbean for so many years,” said Hugh Riley, interim secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). “Each year, we receive hundreds of superior submissions in every media category and it’s always a difficult decision to choose just one winner from each. This year was no exception."

Tourism officials, Caribbean tourism suppliers and the media were in attendance at the Caribbean Media Awards Luncheon, where they recognized some of the leading journalists in the United States and Caribbean. Winners included:

* David Swanson, “Our Top 25 All Stars” in Caribbean Travel & Life – Best Feature Article in a Consumer Magazine (USA)
* Cheray O’Neal, “Home Away from Home” in Black Meetings & Tourism – Best Feature Article in a Trade Magazine (USA)
* James Schnepf, “The Golden Age of Nevis” in Caribbean Travel & Life – Best Photography (USA)
* Dana Popoff, “Feasting on Waves: Island Thyme” on Food Network – Best Broadcast Feature (USA)
* Michael Robinson, “Cockpit Country” in Sky Writings - Best Feature Article (Caribbean)

More than 100 submissions were received across six categories in print and broadcast media, in addition to the “Best in Show” winner which was chosen out of the six finalists.

Organized by CTO, Caribbean Week in New York brings together the most influential policy makers, marketing professionals and tourism industry officials to interact and discuss both tourism and investment opportunities in the region. It also serves to provide a taste of the Caribbean, to present vacation special offers, inspire travel and showcase the Region’s diversity to more than 10,000 attendees who participated in a number of targeted events hosted throughout the week including a Caribbean Travel & Cultural Fair, Media Marketplace, Caribbean Marketing Conference, Caribbean Treats: Food, Rum & Rhythm, Allied Members Awards Luncheon and Diaspora Workshop.

Investment in human resources key talking point at Curacao conference

2009-05-28T13:13:00.001-04:00

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (May 27, 2009) – Tourism leaders across the region are being encouraged to value the importance of human resources in the sector.

The subject of investment in human resources development was a key talking point at the opening of the 5th Annual Caribbean Tourism Human Resources Conference here today.

The Commissioner of Tourism for Curacao, Hon. Eugene Rhuggenaath, told delegates that in order to remain competitive the tourism sector must invest heavily in staff training.

“The principles of sustainable tourism development are applicable towards benefitting local communities and other stakeholders through training, education, participating in management; and for this to happen there needs to be extensive training of human resources at all levels,” Mr. Rhuggenaath said.

The Commissioner of Tourism estimated that by 2011 Curacao’s hotel room stock would double from the current four thousand to over eight thousand. This, he said, would provide challenges for tourism leaders in the area of human resources.

“In order to deliver the growth plans across the sectors and to focus on high quality tourism it is essential to develop the product not only by improving the physical tourism product but also the human resources component. In this the availability of appropriately trained manpower is crucial to success,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Curacao Tourism Board and Director of Tourism Evita Nita also emphasized the importance of human resources training in the sector. She told conference participants this would lead to a more highly motivated workforce.

“It is imperative for both our tourism workforce as well as our entire community to be motivated to deliver high level experience and service to our guests,” the director of tourism said. “You should see investment in our human resources not only as a means to achieve a better tourism sector but to reach a stage where our whole community is motivated to work towards a better island.”

The May 27 to 29 conference has as its theme, Best Practices for Creating a Motivated and Productive Tourism Workforce. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s Human Resources Director, Bonita Morgan said the theme was critical in these trying times for the tourism sector.

“The theme becomes even more complex to address in this difficult economic environment where there are job layoffs and contraction, high feelings of stress related to job security and even levels of distrust,” Ms Morgan said. “We have brought together a number of high quality speakers and presenters to share strategies, their experiences, best practices and case studies that can help us to address how we can truly create a motivated and productive tourism workforce in our countries, our organisations and in the units and departments we work within.”

The conference, being held at Breezes Curacao Resort, Spa & Casino, is organised by the CTO in collaboration with the Curacao Tourism Board (CTB).

Tourism HR professionals challenged to adopt new approaches

2009-05-28T13:11:00.001-04:00

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (May 28, 2009) – Caribbean tourism human resources professionals meeting here have been challenged to adopt a new approach to human resources that will lead to a more hospitable experience for visitors.

Professor Nigel Hemmington of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) told delegates attending the 5th annual Caribbean Tourism Human Resources Conference that this new approach must take the emphasis away from service delivery to the delivery of experiences that are personal and memorable.

“Customers do not buy service delivery, they buy experiences. They don’t buy service quality, they buy memories. They don’t buy food and drink, they buy meal experiences. They don’t buy events and functions, they buy occasions,” said Hemmington who researches customer experiences, professional development and learning, and consumer behaviour in hospitality and tourism.

In a presentation entitled, From Service to Experience: The New Hospitable Experience Paradigm, Mr. Hemmington said the paradigm shift from services to hospitable tourism means customer service becomes a performance and the staff become part of the cast.

“Increasingly, tourism and hospitality businesses are using a different language. Instead of talking about customers, managers and staff they talk about guests, hosts and cast,” the Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of AUT said.

“Think of your staff as performers and think about the opportunities for your staff to perform and if they are now performers they are going to think ‘I am not just a waiter now, I am part of the performance. Look at my skill, look at what I can do,’” he said.

Mr. Hemmington explained that performing does not mean trying to tell jokes and being comedians but the manner in which service is delivered.

During the May 27 to 29 conference, participants will explore how to create a culture of lifelong learning at work; managing stress in difficult times; as well as how to measure and monitor productivity and performance in the workplace, among other topics.

The conference, which has as its theme, Best Practices for Creating a Motivated and Productive Tourism Workforce, is organised by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), in collaboration with the Curacao Tourist Board.