PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, CMC – Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Kenneth Bryan, Wednesday cautioned regional tourism leaders of the need to do things differently if the Caribbean is to maintain its competitive edge and remain as one of the fastest growing tourism regions in the world.
Addressing the opening of the two-day 2023 State of the Industry conference, he said that the adjustments required were the need to embrace technological advancements, adopt sustainable practices, recognize trends and behavioral swings, and become masters of social media.
“And there’s also the need to be willing to leverage artificial intelligence and green infrastructure to enhance the tourism experience.
“This is where I see innovation playing a key role in developing our tourism products, and in how we promote ourselves to travelers seeking unique, authentic and bespoke…experiences,” said Bryan, also tourism minister in the Cayman Islands.
Noting that the word “experiences” was being used more and more as a synonym for tourism, he told the audience “that what tourism is, that’s what each of us involved in the industry is selling, an experience of our islands, our cultures, our food, our people.”
Bryan reminded delegates that tourists do not travel because they want to fly on a plane or stay in a hotel but need experience.
“This means that our jobs as practitioners and stakeholders in tourism are not just to entice them through marketing and advertising to visit our shores but to inspire them to come back time and time again,” the CTO chairman said.
He said that one of the most effective ways to do that is by inspiring young people, the next generation of leaders, managers, business owners, and entrepreneurs, to pursue careers in tourism.
The organizers said the two-day conference offers “a robust and insightful agenda,” which includes presentations and panel discussions that examine the intricacies of tourism investment and financing in the Caribbean, which they describe as paramount for this region’s growth and sustainability.
They said that the event held under the theme “Invest, Innovate, and Inspire” will seek to explore the current challenges and opportunities within the dynamic tourism landscape.
In his address, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Charles Washington Misick, urged delegates to work collaboratively to make the sector sustainable, especially as climate change continues to pose a significant threat to many tourism destinations.
He said that SOCTIC provides an ideal platform to address these challenges head-on.
TCI’s tourism Minister, Josephine Connolly, said that the sector provides unparalleled quality service to guests.
“Our victories are part of a larger regional story, and we firmly believe that with hard work, unwavering commitment, innovative tools, and forging new alliances, our region’s potential for success is limitless,” she told the conference.
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