~ Panelists to discuss at the 26-29 August gathering in St. Vincent and the Grenadines ~
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (15 Aug. 2019) – Significant advantages arise for those tourism related companies that are able to transform through any diversity in order to remain competitive in today’s changing global tourism landscape. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will examine the negative forces and positive tourism recoveries in a general session at the upcoming Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development taking place 26-29 Aug. 2019 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The panel titled “Transformation for Tourism Evolution” will be held on 29 Aug. from 10:45 a.m. until noon. The session will illustrate significant advantages gained by those who were innovative and creative during times the tourism market was disrupted. Local tourism entities are largely categorised as micro, small and medium enterprises, and their ability to harness transformative advances is an existential imperative for ensuring their sustained relevance in an ever-changing geo-political climate. This session takes a critical look at new opportunities to regenerate the regional tourism industry in the areas of market access, disaster recovery and climate resilience as a means of increasing tourism competitiveness and sustainability.
Maria Fowell, tourism specialist, economic development policy unit for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), will moderate the panel, which will also hear from Hon. Camillo Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ minister of finance & economic planning, sustainable development and information technology. Kieran St. Omer,research officer, strategic planning and projects at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), will speak to the topic of “Opportunities and Threats from a Move Toward Digital Currency.”
The conference, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (#STC2019), is organised by CTO in partnership with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA).
Under the theme “Keeping the Right Balance: Tourism Development in an Era of Diversification,” industry experts participating in #STC2019 will address the urgent need for a transformational, disruptive, and regenerative tourism product to meet ever-rising challenges. The full conference programme can be viewed via https://www.caribbeanstc.com/program/
St. Vincent and the Grenadines will host #STC2019 amidst an intensified national thrust towards a greener, more climate-resilient destination, including the construction of a geothermal plant on St. Vincent to complement the country’s hydro and solar energy capacity and the restoration of the Ashton Lagoon in Union Island.
To register for the conference, visit https://www.caribbeanstc.com/register. Rates are available for general delegates including CTO members and non-members, St. Vincent & the Grenadines residents, travel agents and students (both local and international rates).
Sponsorships are available for the conference and can be viewed via: https://www.caribbeanstc.com/sponsor. Contact Sylma Brown Bramble at 212-635-9530 or sbrown@caribtourism.com for additional information.
About the Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development
The Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s strategy for sustainable tourism. It looks at how member states can design and implement sustainable tourism policies and programmes, offering a regional forum for information exchange on the successes and pitfalls of national, regional and international initiatives.
About the Caribbean Tourism Organization
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados, offices in New York and London and representation in Canada, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of the region’s finest countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish-speaking, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.
Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology.
The CTO’s Headquarters is located at Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael, Barbados BB 22026; Tel: (246) 427-5242; Fax: (246) 429-3065; E-mail: CTObarbados@caribtourism.com;
The CTO’s New York office is located at 80 Broad St., Suite 3302, New York, NY 10004, USA: Tel: (212) 635-9530; Fax: (212) 635-9511; E-mail: CTOny@caribtourism.com;
The CTO’s London office is located at Suites 52A & 53, 5th Floor AMP House, Dingwall Road, Croydon CR0 2LX, England. Tel: 011 44 208 948 0057; Fax: 011 44 208 948 0067; E-mail: CTOlondon@caribtourism.com.
CTO has representation in Canada; Tel: (905) 857-1986; Email: droletn@caribtourism.com.
For more information on the Caribbean Tourism Organization, please visit www.OneCaribbean.org and follow CTO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to be part of the conversation.
