As the tourism sector across the Caribbean registers strong post-pandemic results, the 25-member Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is resuming several hallmark activities and events this year to help strengthen the region’s position as the world’s leading warm-weather destination.

Following business meetings in Curaçao, where ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism and their representatives met together as well as with tourism industry stakeholders, CTO chairman Kenneth Bryan announced that 2023 will see the return of “Caribbean Week in New York” in June, the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in the Turks & Caicos Islands in the fall, and a conference focused on sustainable tourism development.

Bryan, who is also the Minister of Tourism and Transport for the Cayman Islands, said that the CTO will have a delegation in attendance at this week’s Global Tourism Resilience Conference in Jamaica, and will celebrate Jamaica Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett’s achievements in encouraging the United Nations to recognize February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Minister Bryan also reported that CTO’s marketing committee will meet in the weeks ahead to finalize details for the upcoming calendar of events.

He disclosed that the newly invigorated CTO is focused on increasing the number of member countries and territories. “We just recently welcomed the U.S. Virgin Islands back on board, and my goal is to get more and more members since we are stronger together as a team,” he said, explaining that demonstrating to the entire region the benefits of CTO membership is paramount.

Minister Bryan and his team have been focusing their time and energies to help reshape the CTO and ensure that members get value for money. “We have some ambitious goals for the CTO over the next two years and I am confident that with a united effort we can strengthen the bread-and-butter tourism industry and improve the quality of life for our residents in this wonderful part of the world we call home,” he remarked, while showering praise on Curaçao’s tourism and economic development leaders for hosting an exceptionally productive meeting of the regional body.