BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) says it will seek to take advantage of the routes in the Americas when a delegation attends the Routes Americas in Colombia next week.
It said that the March 19-21 premier air service development forum uniting the Americas will bring together senior decision-makers from the region’s leading airlines, airports, and other tourism and aviation stakeholders.
The two-member CTO delegation will be led by Secretary-General, Chief Executive Officer Dona Regis-Prosper, and Faye Gill, Director of Membership Services.
“In an era where connectivity is the driving force behind recovery and progress, our participation in Routes Americas is a significant step for the Caribbean. It’s a platform that allows us to amplify our presence and forge essential partnerships within the global aviation ecosystem,” said Regis-Prosper.
“This is part of our continued commitment to enhancing the region’s visibility and fostering meaningful interactions that will lead to more connections to and within the Caribbean.”
The CTO said that in anticipation of Routes Americas, it recently hosted a groundbreaking two-day training event here on airline route development. Regis-Prosper said this signifies a crucial step in the organization’s strategy to enhance air access to and from the Caribbean.
The Colombia meeting will also allow delegates to engage in an immersive program featuring face-to-face meetings, networking opportunities, and access to exclusive industry insights.
The CTO said a highlight of the event is the Caribbean-focused panel discussion “Aviation Competitiveness in the Caribbean,” scheduled for Tuesday, March 19, with the panelists including Kenneth Romer, the Deputy Director General, of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation, Trevor Sadler the chief executive officer of interCaribbean Airways, Hans van de Velde, the chief executive officer of the Windward Islands Airways International – WINAIR) and Rafael Echevarne, Director General Latin America & Caribbean, Airports Council International (ACI).
“This session will explore the competitive landscape of the Caribbean aviation sector, highlighting efforts to boost air connectivity within the region and to emerging markets in South America and Europe.
“Despite challenges of several destinations recovering to pre-2019 levels of flight frequencies and seat availability, the discussion promises to uncover strategic approaches toward financial and traffic resurgence and explore new growth avenues in the aviation sector,” the CTO added.