BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC—The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) said Monday it will launch a series of virtual tourism data workshops to help regional professionals enhance their research and statistical capacity in tourism data collection and analysis.
The CTO said that the workshops will be held from November 11 to December 2 this year in collaboration with the International Tourism Studies Association/Caribbean Tourism Researchers Network (ITSA/CTRN).
“The capacity building workshops are designed explicitly for tourism research, and statistical personnel and tourism executives are responsible for data collection and the design and execution of tourism research projects.
“Participants will benefit from expert-led sessions that cover a broad spectrum of tourism data management practices and research methodologies. The content will be presented in clear, everyday language to accommodate participants with varying technical expertise, ensuring accessibility for all,” said the CTO, which groups the 20 member countries in the region.
The main objectives of the workshops are to enhance the knowledge and skills of Caribbean tourism research and statistical personnel in several areas, including identifying a Caribbean tourism data ecosystem, understanding methodologies in tourism research, and applying the latest digital technologies to tourism quantitative and qualitative research.
It is also intended to help discover relevant survey methods for market research and impact studies, utilize modern tools, including Artificial Intelligence, to reframe tourism data analytics, and develop collaborative networks among Caribbean tourism data researchers.
The project head, Dr. Michelle McLeod, said that as a former tourism researcher working in a national tourism office, she appreciates the need to develop the knowledge and skills that contribute to effectively planning and monitoring the tourism industry’s performance.
“My research involved, then and now, comparisons across Caribbean countries to understand best practices in managing the tourism data ecosystem. This timely tourism data capacity-building initiative implements eight workshops designed for training needs.
CTO’s new Director of Research, Aliyyah Shakeer, said tourism remains a vital economic driver for the Caribbean, and its continued growth depends on informed decision-making backed by solid research.
“This workshop series is designed to equip new and experienced tourism researchers across the region with the tools and methodologies needed for effective planning, analysis, and reporting.
“The knowledge gained will be invaluable for driving sustainable growth in their respective destinations and strengthening the overall competitiveness of the Caribbean’s tourism sector,” Shakeer added.
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