TTC Special: Welcome the Caribbean tourism industry improvement right after pandemic

By Frank Martin

The Caribbean Tourism Organization, CTO just verified in its first week of analysis of that industry after the pandemic that the regional tourism industry not only breathes better financially but continues a gradual global progress.

During last week dedicated to the subject, CTO organized business meetings, and an informative forum on tourism marketing.

The event held in New York, allowed examinations by specialists on current travel trends around the Caribbean area, after the long Covid-19 epidemic that had a very negative impact on their operations.

The experts’ found projections are like a economic engine working after two hard years.

The Caribbean is a very active region in terms of tourism with islands that are strong competitors to destinations worldwide.

A Media Marketplace was organized at the event, where officials shared travel and tourism updates with the participating press.

Among the expositions of general interest during the week, the media highlighted words of the new president of the CTO Kenneth Bryan, Minister of Tourism of the Cayman Islands about Caribbean tourism situation. He also reported about remaining tensions.

Bryan explained to the press that CTO is “committed to continuing the development of research, knowledge and information” on the regional sector.

He estimated that this will be “the best way to be effective in the tourism industry, but also to help us market what we do about it”.

An outstanding point for Caribbean tourism, the fight against sargassum, was in agenda.

A coincidence of criteria is that this phenomenon has its origins in global warming.

Another topic of great interest has been air connectivity, which is facing a real challenge due to the high costs associated with airline operations.

Also described as a success this first post-pandemic Caribbean Week, which was attended by representatives of the public and private sectors of destinations in that part of the world.

Gained high attention a dialogue with the World Bank, CARICOM and the Caribbean Development Bank as participants on studies for financing greater air connectivity in the short and medium term.

In their speeches, the representatives of the CTO disclosed that there is a financial improvement of the entity.