CARIBBEAN: Airbnb Announces First Tax Agreement In the Caribbean

Airbnb has been investing in partnerships in the Caribbean to support a thriving community of homeowners who are renting their spaces and creating new flows of local economic benefits. Airbnb have announced the first tax agreement in the Caribbean.

The Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Airbnb have confirmed the first tax agreement in the Caribbean, which will allow the platform to collect the Territory's 12.5 percent Hotel Room Occupancy Tax on behalf of hosts and remit the funds to the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Agreements have been signed with several countries and with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) to create policy frameworks for this growing hospitality trend of home sharing.

Today's announcement spearheads the company's efforts in the Caribbean to collect and remit lodging taxes on behalf of hosts, allowing hosts to comply and give back to their communities.

The Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth E. Mapp, supported the agreement and noted that locals will increase their participation in the economic benefits of tourism.

This is good for our Government because it streamlines the collection process and enables more of our residents to participate in the visitor industry.

Our hospitality sector will also greatly benefit from the promotional reach of this multibillion-dollar organization," Mapp said.

The agreement with Airbnb is a component of the Mapp-Potter Administration's Five Year Plan to fully restore economic stability to the V.I. Government through economic growth, increased revenue collection and better resource management.

It will help improve and diversify the tourism industry and create unique experiences for and by the locals of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas and their visitors.

Airbnb has about 2,000 active listings across the U.S. Virgin Islands and a typical Airbnb host earns US$7,700 a year.

Airbnb represents a supplemental income, which helps families pay their bills and improve their quality of life.

As local hosts bring more tourism to the region, visitors get to know the country from an organic and more authentic point of view, spending in local businesses and services, as well as encouraging others to visit the islands as a result of their positive experience,said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb's Public Policy Manager for the Caribbean and Central America.

Local authorities also pointed to the importance of the growth and diversification of tourism to the island and the improvement of tax collection for both hosts and government.

This agreement brings to the table a well-resourced partner to help with our efforts to attract people to our islands, observed Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

Marvin Pickering, Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue, said the additional revenue would be beneficial for the treasury.

This voluntary collection agreement for the hotel room tax provides the bureau with an additional resource to ensure that the tax is collected and remitted in a timely manner.

We look forward to pursuing this additional avenue of increasing the tax revenue from Airbnb hosts as they participate in our Territory's tax regime by fulfilling their filing and payment obligations.

Caribbean Week 2017

We invite you to join us on a Caribbean tourism adventure, where Business and Culture Inspire Travel.

Caribbean Week has something for everyone. New York City will come alive for a full week when tourism officials, industry executives, the media, the Caribbean Diaspora, travel agents, consumers and students converge on the city to participate in a calendar of activities that showcase the best of Caribbean tourism.

Organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Caribbean Week in New York combines business sessions and consumer-oriented events with food, fashion, entertainment, sales and networking opportunities! It creates awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse product offerings and showcases its desirability through business development opportunities, consumer engagement and authentic cultural experiences.

Caribbean Week will deliver the following objectives:

To maximize the opportunity to showcase the Caribbean;
To provide a platform for the sale of Caribbean vacations;
To provide significant publicity for the Region;
To engage the various stakeholders

Explore and Experience the Caribbean as you enjoy the multi-faceted dimension of the region at cultural, social and business events catering to the most important segments of the industry.

Mingle with the media, network with colleagues and learn from the pros at the 44nd anniversary of Caribbean Week in New York.
All activities will take place at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, 481 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10001, unless otherwise stated.

USA: Caribbean Week 2017 To be Honoured By Empire State Building

One of New York City’s most iconic buildings will be in a Caribbean state of mind this June.

The Empire State Building will honor the Caribbean region on Tuesday, June 6, by lighting its world-famous tower in purple, blue, green, orange, red and magenta in celebration of Caribbean Week 2017 in New York.

"We are honored that the famous New York City skyline will, once again, be shining in celebration of Caribbean Week," said Sylma Brown, director of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) for the U.S., in a written release.

We appreciate the ongoing support of this annual series of events by lighting the iconic building in the Caribbean's traditional colors.

Caribbean Week New York will come alive in the Big Apple when tourism officials, industry executives, media, Caribbean Diaspora, travel agents, consumers and students come together to participate in a calendar of activities that showcase the best of Caribbean tourism.

Taking place June 4-10, as a celebration of the sights, sounds, color and culture of the Caribbean, the week combines business sessions and consumer-oriented events with Caribbean-inspired food, lively entertainment and networking opportunities.

The CTO Foundation celebrates the diverse sights, sounds and flavors of the Caribbean at the sixth annual “Rum & Rhythm Benefit - The Ultimate Caribbean Epicurean Experience,” which takes place June 9 at Capitale as part of Caribbean Week.

Rum & Rhythm Benefit is an elegant Caribbean cultural and culinary experience, but, equally important, it is a major fundraiser for the CTO Foundation, a charitable organization which provides scholarships to Caribbean nationals pursuing studies in tourism, hospitality and languages.

The event is returning to the historic Capitale, where consumers, travel industry professionals, officials from the region and ministers and directors of tourism will mix and mingle while savoring cuisines and cocktails or immersing themselves into the rhythms and cultural experiences of the Caribbean.

Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased here. The evening will include a raffle featuring a Caribbean holiday package including airfare. The auction will be online, but patrons will be able to bid on the many vacation packages, hotels stays and other travel related items from the event.

Rum & Rhythm also features special appearances from top Caribbean personalities and celebrities, and Caribbean chefs and mixologists will showcase their talents with traditional Caribbean dishes and top-rated cocktails.

Leading up to Caribbean Week New York, the CTO presents Rum Rumble, a series of promotional mixologist competitions held at popular rum bars in Manhattan. Throughout May, well-known mixologists compete for the title of Caribbean Week Mixologist of the Year, which is announced at Rum & Rhythm. The Rum Rumble finalists will debut their winning cocktails at the event.

USA: Students Colloquium To Feature Rising Stars In Caribbean Tourism

During Caribbean Week New York, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will host its seventh annual Caribbean Students Colloquium on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Wyndham New Yorker (481 Eighth Ave., New York).

The Colloquium - an event where students are challenged to present well-researched, practical and financially viable sustainable tourism projects - is dubbed "Students Taking Center Stage: A Forum for Rising Stars in Caribbean Tourism." This event is open to the public and free to registered attendees.

The Colloquium brings together students enrolled in tourism and hospitality programs who have a devotion to the Caribbean and are eager to make a contribution to its sustainable development.

There will be a selection process based on submitted presentations with a maximum of five teams vying to capture the coveted title of 2017 Student Colloquium Champions.

These free-style presentations will be judged by a panel of sustainable tourism practitioners, including: Hugh Hough, Partner and President, GreenTeam Global, NY; Dr. Debra Blair, Associate Professor and the Director of Assessment in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Temple University, PA; and Salli Felton, Chief Executive Officer, The Travel Foundation, UK.

Five schools will participate in this year's contest - The College of the Bahamas (COB) - Nassau, Bahamas (@UniversityOfTheBahamas); Monroe College - New York (@monroe_college); Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCI) - Turks and Caicos Islands; The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), School of Hospitality - Grand Cayman (@UCCICayman); and University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) - St. Thomas (@UVI_edu).

Each member of the first place winning team will received complimentary registration for the 2017 Sustainable Tourism Conference in St. Kitts and the coveted winner's trophy.

"Tourism education is a critical element of sustainability in the Caribbean and the CTO is committed to ensuring that the brightest and best lead the tourism industry into the future.

The Students Colloquium is one of the ways in which we do this," said Sylma Brown, Director, CTO-USA., adding: "The Colloquium allows students to shine and share their best ideas and original case studies."

The competitors will receive words of inspiration from Randy Alleyne, president of Liberty Travel. A strong and powerful voice in the industry, Alleyne has a proven record in sales growth initiatives and operational optimization of retail businesses and has achieved measurable market share growth, strengthened travel agent relationships, increased sales revenue and more.

Alleyne's entrepreneurial style and strategic brand-building campaigns, in tandem with his best practice applications, have proven marked and measurable results for the companies that he has worked with.

Alleyne's track record in elevating organizations into top revenue-generators and tremendous knowledge and hands-on knowhow in retail merchandising, marketing, online services, multi-unit operations and customer experience platforms, helps him lead the Liberty Travel team in providing personalized travel planning and insight into the newest travel trends and destinations.

Caribbean Week (www.CaribbeanWeek.com) New York (#CWNY17) will come alive in the Big Apple when tourism officials, industry executives, media, Caribbean Diaspora, travel agents, consumers and students come together to participate in a calendar of activities that showcase the best of Caribbean tourism.

Taking place June 4-10, 2017, as a celebration of the sights, sounds, color and culture of the Caribbean, the week combines business sessions and consumer-oriented events with Caribbean-inspired food, lively entertainment and networking opportunities.

Caribbean Week New York is supported by:

- Academy Engraving

- Anguilla

- Antigua & Barbuda

- Anse Chastanet & Jade Mountain Saint Lucia

- Barbados

- Caribbean Airlines

- Castles in Paradise Villa Resort - Saint Lucia

- Cayman Islands

- Cholula Food Company

- Cititech Solutions

- Delta Air Lines

- Dominica

- FlightCentre

- Grenada

- Guyana

- Jamaica

- Martinique

- Paradise Island Promotion Board

- Pleasant Holidays

- Questex

- Saint Lucia

- St. Vincent & the Grenadines

- Spice Island Beach Resort

- Sugar Beach-A Viceroy Resort

- Travel Impressions and Travel + Leisure.

CARIBEAN: Tourism Shoots Up

The Expedia group reported that travel demand to luxury properties throughout the Caribbean increased in 2016. When compared to 2015, overall demand for four and five-star rated properties throughout the Caribbean increased by nearly 20 percent in 2016.

Likewise, the Caribbean’s leading destinations also experienced luxury demand growth including the Dominican Republic (15 percent), Puerto Rico (5 percent), Jamaica (nearly 30 percent), Aruba (nearly 20 percent), the Bahamas (10 percent) and Turks and Caicos (35 percent) in 2016 when compared to the previous year.

Per a recent report by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Caribbean tourism accounted for nearly 30 million arrivals to the region in 2016 with visitor spending hitting new heights, representing a unique opportunity for Caribbean hoteliers specializing in luxury travel.

In 2016, the Caribbean destination with the highest luxury inventory was Paradise Island, with more than 80 percent of the Bahamian island’s hotels being four and five-star property.

Additional destinations where the majority of hotel inventory was comprised of four to five-star rated resorts included St. Martin (nearly 80 percent), Punta Cana (nearly 80 percent), Turks and Caicos (more than 75 percent) and St. John Virgin Islands (nearly 75 percent).

With four and five star properties representing more than 50 percent of Expedia group’s travel demand throughout the Caribbean, the company proudly offers hotel partners insights on mobile travel searches and booking patterns, how luxury travelers book, and how they shop and choose hotels.

The Expedia market management teams partner with hoteliers to effectively engage the luxury market across devices and throughout the entire travel planning process. This valuable information is readily available to partners to ensure that their strategy targets this niche market.

While the Caribbean’s various destinations attract a diverse range of travelers from around the world, according to Expedia group data the United States represented the largest market for the region’s luxury segment followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil and France in 2016.

The Caribbean’s luxury segment received a significant influx of Swiss travelers in 2016, who attributed to an increase of nearly 175 percent when compared to 2015. Additional international markets with noteworthy year over year increases in demand in 2016 include the Netherlands with nearly 50 percent growth and Germany with more than 40 percent growth.

“We’ve seen luxury travel continue to thrive throughout the world, including the Caribbean,” said Demetrius Canton, Director of Market Management for the Caribbean, the Expedia group. “Expedia works closely with hotel partners seeking to tap into new and growing markets, including the luxury segment, by utilizing the company’s innovative technology and global marketing strategies.”

Expedia group can also report that in addition to boasting higher average daily rates in 2016, luxury properties represented an opportunity for hoteliers in the Caribbean as four and five-star resorts featured longer booking windows (average of 55 day) and lengths of stays (4.3 days) when compared to one to three-star hotels which saw an average booking window of 37 days out and an average length of stay of 3.2 days.

By working with the Expedia group, luxury hotels throughout the Caribbean gain exposure from the more than 200 travel booking sites in more than 75 countries in 35 languages, in addition to a myriad of mobile sites and apps, from brands such as Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Travelocity®, Orbitz®, Hotwire®, Egencia®, Expedia® Affiliate Network and others.

Caribbean Tourism Organization Votes For Regional Tourism Marketing Campaign

Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Hugh Riley says the region will have to pool its resources in an effort to undertake a massive marketing campaign, if it is to maximise its full tourism potential.

“We won’t have the opportunity as a region to realise the full potential of the Caribbean unless we can find a way to pool our resources. There is not a single member country of the Caribbean Tourism Organization that has the budget that it truly needs to reach its full tourism potential,” Riley argued.

“If we pool our resources though, then we become a much more powerful force to reckon with, and we will see ourselves competing more aggressively in this tourism arena.”

Riley, who was speaking to Caribbean journalists during last week’s 18th Annual Shared Ownership Investment Conference at the Eden Roc Resort Miami Beach in Florida, recalled that the two massive marketing campaigns undertaken by the region in 1993 and 2003/2004 — the ‘Kokomo’ and ‘Life Needs the Caribbean’ campaigns, respectively, — resulted in significant increases in visitor arrivals to the region.

“On the two occasions in the last 23 years or so when we had pooled our resources, we saw tremendously satisfying results and made a much louder sound in the marketplace,” he stressed.

“The awareness of the Caribbean brand went up, and business increased tremendously for all the participating countries, so we feel justified in saying that if we could ever find a way to sustainably pool our resources and find a mechanism that will adequately fund the marketing of the Caribbean tourism, then we will have a better chance of reaching our full potential in tourism.”

The ‘Kokomo’ campaign, according to tourism industry sources, resulted in a 10 .4 per cent increase in visitor arrivals the following year, while the other marketing blitz, which was undertaken at a cost of US$16 million, yielded similar results.

Riley said, however, that despite the success of the campaigns, which marketed the Caribbean as a single destination, both efforts were not sustained, due to funding issues.

“In both of those campaigns it was a one-shot deal, and when it [funding] ended, the campaign stopped, so we need to have a sustained funding mechanism, rather than lurching from one crisis to another,” he argued.

He said the CTO is now in dialogue with member countries, as well as the private sector, in an effort to secure the necessary funding for a major, regional tourism marketing blitz.

“We talked a lot about having a public-private partnership and our member countries expect that when we come to the table, we come to the table as partners to talk about a funding effort for a major campaign,” said Riley.

He stressed that there is a concerted effort to bring all the key decision makers in one place within the next several months, adding that a great deal of work is being done at the moment to get the mechanics right.

“We don’t just want to go to a meeting and say we are trying to raise funds, that we are trying to have a sustainable campaign. We want to actually go there with details and say ‘here is what the proposal is, and here is what will happen with the funds, here is the structure which will be instituted in an organised process…,” he explained.

Rum And Rhythm Festival

The first Friday of Caribbean heritage month kicked off with a blast-filled event to the sounds and tastes of the Caribbean, all for a good cause.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization concluded its Caribbean Week, which lasted from June 1-5, by hosting its 5th annual Rum and Rhythm Festival in Chinatown on Friday. Along with food and entertainment, attendees had the opportunity to party and participate in a silent auction to raise money for Caribbean students. At the fest, two of the best mixologists in the world competed for a final round for best mixologist

“I mean I don’t even know how to express it. It was so much fun,” said Selma Slabiak, the crowned mixologist winner.

Slabiak praised her fellow mixology competitors, as well as her runner-up.

“I think everyone participating in this event are very driven people. I’m so excited to be a part of this,” said Slabiak. “It was never really like a crazy competition because we’re all friends and peers and we had so much fun supporting each other.”

The Rum and Rhythm benefit is organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization to raise money for scholarships in the Caribbean, and to help increase tourism and vitality to the region.

Organizers of the event hope that guests know that they supported a wonderful event, and their presence will benefit the education of students pursuing hospitality careers.

“They didn’t just come to a party, they came to party for a cause,” said Sylma Brown, director for the Caribbean Tourism Organization based in New York. “The Caribbean Tourism Organization believes we must encourage the best and the brightest to come into the tourism industry and we do that by providing scholarships to them.”

The guests of the fest were spoiled with food, drinks, music, and had the opportunity to taste-test and sample cuisines from nearly every country in the region. Chefs represented were from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and St. Martin and competed for best chef.

The winner of the chefs’ competition echoed the need for a multinational Caribbean event.

“Coming together is important. I’ve always believed that when the Caribbean comes together — there aren’t much places in the world that are stronger,” said Barbadian chef and winner, Creig Greenidge. “Let’s keep the camaraderie going — because for me, yes I won, but I’m not here to compete necessarily, I’m just here to cook.”

Greenidge says the energy, spirit, and community vibe at the Rum and Rhythm fest seals his return.

“I’ve been coming here for four years — and I love coming and they love me here,” said Greenidge. “I will be here next year.”

Caribbean Tourism Organization Appointed Amanda Charles As Sustainable Tourism Specialist

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has appointed indsutry veteran Amanda Charles as sustainable tourism specialist.

Charles will coordinate and implement the CTO’s sustainable tourism program aimed at enhancing the development, growth, quality, competitiveness and sustainability of Caribbean tourism.

Charles is a tourism professional with several years of experience, having worked most recently as the adviser to the directorate of sustainable tourism at the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, a position she held for five years.

While there Charles coordinated the directorate’s sustainable tourism program and managed the financial, technical and logistical aspects of the directorate’s projects and activities.

She also worked as a tourism specialist consultant at the Organization of American States (OAS) department of economic development, trade and tourism in Washington, D.C. and as a project consultant at the OAS department of sustainable development.

As the CTO’s sustainable tourism specialist, Charles will lead the organization’s agenda, which includes helping to develop quality standards for Caribbean destinations and their tourism products and services.

GUYANA: Guyana To Benefit From IDB Tourism Project

Guyana is one of several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries listed to benefit from funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for building capacity in the area of health and safety in the regional tourism sector.

The Port of Spain-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says it will be seeking to undertake initiatives designed to improve health and safety standards in the regional tourism industry utilizing funds totalling US$800,000 approved by the IDB. Head of the CARPHA, Dr C. James Hospedales announced last month that the amount will be used to help tackle threats that challenge the sustainability of tourism in the Caribbean. CARPHA will have direct responsibility for the execution of the project and will be partnered by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CTA) in its execution.According to Dr Hospedales the value of the IDB funding should be seen against the backdrop of the fact that the Caribbean is the most tourism-dependent region in the world and that, accordingly, the health of Caribbean economies is closely linked to the state of health of its tourism industry.

A critical component of the capacity-building initiative to be funded by the monies from the IDB will be the development of a regional tourism health information, monitoring and response system. Work on building capacity in the regional tourism sector will also focus on the upgrading of safety and health standards in the sector as a whole and training and certification of industry workers to build capacity in food and environmental safety.”

Noting that the health surveillance systems for travel and tourism implemented by the US Centers for Disease Control and other agencies have proven to be a key factor in reducing outbreaks, Dr. Hospedales observed that there is, currently, no regional or national, tourism health information, monitoring and response (THMR) system in the Caribbean and that such an initiative to improve countries’ capacities to support health monitoring efforts can reduce tourism HSE incidents, and provide a healthier, safer, better quality tourism product for visitors and residents alike.

The infusion of IDB funding for building capacity in the regional tourism sector has also been welcomed by CTO Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Riley who says he is confident that the Region will benefit significantly as the capacity building initiatives that will be funded will help improve recognition, reputation and comparative advantage of the Caribbean as a tourism destination.

The initiatives identified to help improve regional tourism, health information, monitoring and response systems and standards to enhance sustainable tourism in the region will be executed in six participating countries, the other five being Barbados, Belize, The Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago between the current year and 2019.

ANGUILLA: Anguilla Tourism

Anguilla reported a total of 73,232 tourist arrivals in 2015, according to the latest numbers from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

That represented a 3.3 percent increase compared to the year before, buoyed by a 4.4 percent improvement during last year’s peak tourist season.

Arrivals slowed slightly in the summer season, though, with a 2.5 percent year-over-year improvement.

The destination saw a 4 percent jump in US arrivals, but a precipitous 8.3 percent reduction in tourism arrivals from Canada.

BELIZE: Belize Sees Big Tourism Growth

After a sluggish peak tourist season, things were looking grim for tourism growth in Belize.

But a strong summer season put the Caribbean destination into a strong position by the end of the year.

Belize reported a 6.2 percent increase in tourist arrivals in 2015, according to the latest data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

And while the country reported a 1.2 percent decline in the peak tourist season, it reported a significant 11.3 percent improvement in the summer season.

The country saw a particularly strong increase in arrivals from the United States, with an 8 percent increase compared to 2014, which softened the blow of a 9 percent reduction in tourism from Canada.

CARIBBEAN: Zika Virus Affecting Caribbean Tourism

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) says the presence of the Zika virus in the region is already impacting the tourism sector.

The mosquito-born Zika virus is now being investigated by the US’ Centre for Disease Control and other international health agencies to determine if it is being transmitted sexually. Researchers are already linking the virus to the birth defect microcephaly in Brazil, which instigated the travel advisories by the US and Canada.

The CTO says the unconfirmed linkages has caused uncertainty and confusion among the traveling public and could lead to panic. The organization said while it is aware of the concerns persons may have, they should not panic or cancel their Caribbean travel plans.

“Concerns have been raised about a condition known as microcephaly and its effects on the unborn children of pregnant women. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) itself has stated several times that it has no proof of a link between Zika and microcephaly.

“It’s too early to tell but all indications are that there are very few cancellations as a result of Zika… However, as always, we advise you to travel sensibly and to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself against insect bites, including mosquito bites, in very much the same way you would on any holiday in any tropical country.”

With regard any impact negative ZIKA-related news coverage might be causing to the region’s tourism this year, the CTO pointed out that WHO has not issued any travel advisories to affected countries. Also highlighted was the fact that only approximately 200 suspected cases have been reported in the Caribbean’s over 30 territories, and most of the persons who contracted the virus have already recovered. The CTO assured it would continue to monitor the situation and advise accordingly.

“We take the health and safety of our guests very seriously. Based on the evidence, we firmly believe that the Zika virus does not pose an extraordinary threat to visitors to the Caribbean. We will continue to closely monitor developments and if fresh evidence emerges that suggests otherwise we will advise accordingly.

“In the meantime, the CTO and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) remain in close contact with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to monitor and research the Zika cases in the Caribbean and to communicate prevention and control measures to residents and visitors, while the health authorities in our member countries are taking the necessary steps to limit the number of new cases.”

Major cruise lines have started waiving penalties for pregnant women and those traveling with them who postpone or cancel trips which include the Caribbean and other Zika affected areas.

CURACAO: CTB Promoting Curaçao During Caribbean Latin Workshop And CTO Caribbean Roadshow

In the month of October the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) participated in two tourism events which were very successful. The events were the Caribbean Latin Workshop and the CTO Caribbean Roadshow. Both events took place in the Netherlands, where various travel agents, commerce and the media participated. The CTB had the opportunity to exhibit Curaçao as a favorite Caribbean destination.

Caribbean Latin Workshop

This is the fourth time that this event is being held and it is organized by Caribbean Reflections. The main purpose of the event is to inform commerce about the tourist products the Caribbean area has to offer, including Curaçao. The event took place on October 29 and 30 on board of the ship Serenity, which was docked in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The islands that were represented were Aruba, Repúblika Dominikana, Argentina, Perú, Mexico, Barbados, Belize, Boneiru, Cuba, Curaçao, Panamá and Sint Maarten.

CTO Caribbean Roadshow

The event, organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), was a roadshow especially for the international travel agents with the aim to inform about the Caribbean tourism products. CTO is the organization dedicated to the tourism development in the Caribbean region and it consist of 30 islands with Dutch, American, French and Spanish origin or nationality and a number of respected private sector members. CTO also encourages travel agents to sell the various Caribbean destinations, including Curaçao.

This year the CTO Caribbean Roadshow took place at the La Cubanita restaurant in Rotterdam and Eindhoven. During the roadshow on October 26 and 28 participants were able to enjoy a Caribbean buffet while they received a 10 minute presentation of each participating partner and a session of speed dating with travel agents. This year 60 travel agents participated during the session in Rotterdam and 50 in Eindhoven. The islands that were represented were Barbados, St. Lucia, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica and Bonaire.

Participation in these types of events is important to continue promoting Curaçao as a tourism destination which offers perfect vacation packages for relaxation or business.

First Caribbean Tourism And Hospitality Guide For Investors To Be Launched This Week

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), in association with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), has produced the first Caribbean Tourism and Hospitality Investment Guide targeted at international investors.

The publication showcases a wide range of investment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector in CTO member states and lists incentives that Caribbean Governments are offering to attract new business.

The Investment Guide focuses on the performance of the region’s tourism and hospitality sector and Caribbean economies. It also highlights increased airlift to the region and new investments in the industry – a reflection of investor confidence in the region.

“Ours is an attractive and desirable destination with a strong, competitive advantage due to our natural resources and authentic experiences,” CTO Chairman Richard Sealy, Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport, said. “Investing in the Caribbean makes good business sense. We know it and we are proud to produce a guide that illustrates it.”

CHTA President Emil Lee urged investors to use the document to learn about the “incredible opportunities” which can be realized from investing in the Caribbean and noted that despite its growing pains, the Caribbean tourism industry continues to expand and diversify. “Public-private initiatives at the regional and destination levels are actively addressing those issues which are important to the industry globally . . . lowering utility costs, improving the visitor experience, holding the line on taxes, incentivizing investments, and maximizing productivity through investments in our people.” he commented.

The publication was produced by marketing, communications and investment promotion specialist, Sandra Ann Baptiste, who was the first head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO INVEST).

It will be distributed at the 2015 Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) which takes place in Puerto Rico November 12 and 13, and at CTO’s Caribbean Week in Canada business events next week.

The guide is one of the deliverables of the New York-based CTO USA Inc. office headed by Sylma Brown.

CTO Official Calls For Action To Facilitate Travel To And Through The Caribbean

Hugh Riley

Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Hugh Riley has urged regional authorities to institute an Open Skies policy and wherever possible to eliminate secondary screening at Caribbean airports.

Mr. Riley argues that while an Open Skies policy would allow regional carriers to take unlimited flights to all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states and encourage the growth of competition among carriers, while elimination of secondary screening would encourage greater demand for intra-regional travel.

He has also called for improved interline arrangements for a “vastly enhanced” baggage transfer and improved passenger experience.

In an address at the recent airline route development forum, World Routes 2015 in Durban, South Africa, Mr. Riley also made a plea for collaboration in a number of areas, including intelligence sharing with the use of the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), and security processing.

“Cooperation in these areas will encourage and facilitate greater investment by airlines into and across the Caribbean region. Better connectivity means greater economic benefits,” the secretary general said.

Citing the post-September 11 television campaign in the United States, Life Needs the Caribbean, and the 2007 Cricket Work Cup as examples, Mr. Riley said the Caribbean has shown its ability to put effective regional strategies in place and can do the same to grow travel into and throughout the region.

“This type of cooperation and collaboration needs to be the standard practice in serving the region’s various tourism needs,” he said.

The secretary general added that it was important to finalize and implement the amended Multilateral Air Services Agreement; facilitate unlimited third, fourth, and fifth freedom of traffic rights for scheduled passenger services from and between international airports and sub-regions within CARICOM and establish a CARICOM Single Domestic Air Space to help generate additional international traveller demand which, in turn, will encourage airlines to establish routes to the region.

“Unnecessarily lengthy policy development and slow implementation processes hinder progress,” he stressed.

The World Route Development Forum attracts senior representatives from airlines, airports and tourism authorities who meet to plan and discuss new and existing global air services. It is organized by the aviation route development company, Routes.

CTO member countries Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the Turks and Caicos Islands attended this year’s event, with CTO supporting its members that were there as well as those that were not.

Mr. Riley’s attendance at the event was aimed at elevating the Caribbean brand; exploring opportunities for the Caribbean; presenting the prospects for expansion and improvement of connectivity within the Caribbean; and discussing challenges facing regional and global aviation and offering solutions. He also highlighted the work of the CTO Aviation Task Force as a facilitator within the Caribbean and beyond.

“I was pleased with the extremely high quality of the interactions we made in Durban and the level of interest there is in the Caribbean: interest in exploring the tourism potential between the Caribbean and Africa, as well as expanding into other non-traditional markets. I fully expect that contacts we made here will redound to the benefit of Caribbean tourism in general and CTO’s member-countries in particular,” the secretary general said

JAMAICA: Leveraging One Caribbean Tourism Despite Competition

Despite competition among Caribbean destinations, there has to be collaboration and cooperation to strengthen the Caribbean brand

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries globally. It has come to the rescue of many underdeveloped and developing countries, where it has replaced traditional industries such as agriculture and manufacturing. As World Tourism Day is being celebrated, it is imperative to reflect on the emergence and evolution of tourism in the Caribbean and to contemplate the future of this industry in a region that highly depends on tourism economy.

While this contemplation goes on, changes are taking place in the Caribbean tourism landscape. Changes are inevitable, but more so with the phenomenon of tourism. People's desire to travel, preferences and needs change. A destination's target market will also change, so do the physical and natural landscape of any tourism offering due to human and environmental disturbance. Economic indicators will also change. There will be new developments in technology that will force change in operations. There will be change in political systems which will influence policy decisions and operation of the tourism industry. Change will always occur, but it is not the change that should be the worrisome issue; rather, how prepared a tourism destination is , be it a country or region, to mitigate the impacts.

The dynamic nature of tourism leverages changes to the modus operandi in the Caribbean region, hence, the discussion on a Caribbean Tourism Model and the Caribbean Basin Tourism Initiative.

Caribbean Tourism Model

There have been several endorsements for tourism development in the Caribbean. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) continues to encourage tourism development in countries such as those in the Caribbean because of its potential to grow economies.

Perry Christie, prime minister of The Bahamas, in his address to the Caricom Community at the opening of the 36th Caricom heads of government summit in Barbados, emphasised that tourism development should be taken more seriously, and thus should be on the agenda of heads of government and regional meetings. He stressed the importance of tourism development in reducing unemployment and debt burdens and growing the economies of the region.

This message was not left unheard. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) hosted a four-day workshop in July of this year to conceptualise new ideas and fresh thinking in order to reinvent the Caribbean tourism product under the theme 'Developing Viable and Sustainable Tourism Products'. The Singapore Model was used as the benchmark for the forum.

But, what is the Singapore Model, and can this leverage change to tourism development in the Caribbean? This model focuses on four key areas: tourism experience, tourism planning, tourism product development, and tourism destination and products. This model is based on a "YourSingapore" destination brand and a vision that speaks to "a vibrant and inspiring Destination Singapore". It is built on the premise of "a dynamic tourism landscape for Singapore in partnership with industry and community". The Singapore Model is based on long-term strategic planning and a marketing thrust that pushes the destination as a place for business, leisure, health care, and education. The "YourSingapore" destination brand suggests ownership of tourism by the stakeholders, inclusive of visitors and residents. Increase in visitor numbers is planned carefully through a yield-driven quality growth strategy. There is strong collaboration between the tourism board in Singapore and industry stakeholders to create value for visitors, increase industry performance, competitiveness and business opportunities, and establish long-term partnerships. The outcome of this model is that Singapore, which is only 700 square kilometres, has an average of 15 million visitors per year. Bearing in mind that Jamaica is 15 times larger in land mass than Singapore.

It is the aspiration of CTO to have a Caribbean tourism model. Let us analyse some realities. Singapore is only one country while there are several countries in the Caribbean. Can the Caribbean tourism model benchmark this vision and mission within a framework of divided land mass and varying political, social and economic systems?

What was most profound in Prime Minister Christie's message at the summit was his remark that the next generation will have a "much greater burden to carry if we don't begin to focus on ways to make our natural strengths stronger". This suggests that tourism operations in the region cannot operate the usual way. It has to be rejuvenated with new and complementary product offerings to attract and engage the tourist and create competitive advantage amongst other tourist regions, bearing in mind that this has to be done in a sustainable way. Sustainable tourism development suggests that the needs of visitors, residents and other stakeholders be met, taking into consideration the political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural environment in order to preserve the resources for future generations (UNWTO, 2011). Sustainable tourism development is no longer a buzz concept, but what is required now to ensure that this economic phenomenon continues to exist.

Can tourism development in the Caribbean be sustainable? Caribbean tourism is based predominantly on physiography and tropical climate. With the onset of climate change and its effects on these resources, there is the need for in-depth focus and analysis as to what to do now so that tourism can continue to exist. Being small island states and developing economies, it can be difficult to introduce and implement some of the measures to ensure sustainability. Greater economic benefit is gained from the mass tourism model. Tourism considered to be sustainable is not profitable, and the power law distribution theory explains that mass tourism provides more revenue than niche markets.

Whilst Caribbean countries depend on foreign direct investment via tourism, there are associated economic costs, mainly economic leakage, occurring from the importation of goods and services outside of the region. Is it that Caribbean countries will be providing more goods and services within the region to supply each other and reduce economic leakage? This would be a very good opportunity for the growth of supporting industries such as information technology, banking and finance, agriculture and manufacturing. This would be welcoming to residents; providing them with the needed employment opportunities. Scholars have found that residents will favour and support tourism development if they will derive economic benefit. There will be demand for education and training in the various areas, and so these institutions are poised to benefit from industry linkages. Competent human capacity is one of the pillars of economic and social empowerment.

Caribbean Basin Tourism Basin Initiative

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association (CHTA) is suggesting a Caribbean Basin Tourism Initiative with the United States of America (US) for regional tourism development where all Caribbean countries will benefit. This stems from the anticipated disruption of the US tourism market in the region due to the restoration of diplomatic relations between them and Cuba, which should lead to the removal of US-imposed embargo. This renewed USA-Cuba relationship is perceived to be a threat to tourism in many Caribbean countries. The prediction is that more Americans will be visiting Cuba, and so countries such as Jamaica and The Bahamas, which are popular destinations in the region for American visitors, will face a decline in that market, thus disrupting their tourism economy.

Tourism in Cuba is not new, and therefore is not new competition. Like many other countries in the region, tourism has been used to counter the effect of the declining sugar industry and to diversify the economy. In 2014, Cuba had a visitor count of over three million with the majority coming from Canada, seconded by Europe. Certainly, US travellers will want to visit Cuba because of the newness of the product to them. The unknown destination and the curiosity surrounding the Pearl of the Caribbean; Cuba's political history, cultural practices, norms, history, and heritage; and even nostalgia for Cubans who migrated, among other features that the "new tourist is seeking", will drive this market. Hence, there will be new competition in the region for US visitors.

The anticipated increase in visitor interest to Cuba, especially from the US, should not be a deterrent to tourism in other Caribbean destinations. It should be a change where leverage can be applied to maximise regional competition through 'collaborative tourism'. There are numerous possibilities surrounding regional tourism partnership and collaboration to include the building of human expertise for the industry, expansion in manufacturing and trading of goods and services to supply the region, thus increasing sufficiency and retaining economic gain for further growth and development, and benchmarking best practices to strengthen tourism operations.

Countries such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica already have long-standing relationships with Cuba, and this would further facilitate partnership in tourism. One of Jamaica's local hotel chains, Sandals Resorts International, currently operates in the wider Caribbean, their model could be used to bridge some of the divides, such as cultural differences and trade relations. There are possibilities of island hopping for countries in close proximity to Cuba and increase airlift to the region from across the world, making the Caribbean more accessible. Common among Caribbean people is the taste for spicy and sweet foods. Food, condiments and confectionaries made in the region can be traded among country destinations.

According to CHTA , American visitors who seek vacation packages on impulse may now prefer to travel to Cuba because of the proximity. It means that the rest of the Caribbean can benefit from long-haul visitors through strategic marketing. All of this requires leverage of change and co-operation. Despite competition among Caribbean destinations, there has to be collaboration and co-operation to strengthen the Caribbean brand. However, the questions are: Is the need for change recognised by all Caribbean destinations? Are these changes desirable? Can these changes occur? The challenge is how to bypass the political, socio-cultural and economic differences among Caribbean destinations and collectively benefit from the 'One billion tourist, one billion opportunities' (World Tourism Day 2015 theme).

Caricom, CTO and CHTA all have very important roles in charting this pathway.

Despite competition among Caribbean destinations, there has to be collaboration and co-operation to strengthen the Caribbean brand.

GUYANA: Guyana Seeing Surge In Tourism

It’s one of the Caribbean’s far under-the-radar destinations, but Guyana is showing significant tourism growth this year.

The country received 46,369 visitor arrivals in the first quarter of 2015, a 13.9 percent increase over the same period in 2014, according to new data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

That was boosted by 19.4 percent growth in tourism from the United States, with a total of 18,246 tourists.

Guyana also saw 12.9 percent growth from regions outside of the US, UK and Canada.

The country got a major boost to its tourism product with the addition of a new Marriott hotel in Georgetown in April, which could bode well for its tourism numbers the rest of the year.