Celebrating its 35th anniversary under the theme “Connecting the Globe, Celebrating Diversity”, Caribbean Week 2024 will showcase a dynamic lineup of events and business meetings.
These sessions will involve the CTO Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and Ministerial Council. Discussions will focus on the critical issues shaping the evolution and growth of Caribbean tourism, providing an opportunity for robust and strategic dialogue.
The week kicked off with a church service and a Business and Tourism Marketing Symposium. Returning this year are the Caribbean Media Awards and the much-anticipated Media Marketplace.
In keeping with its commitment to fostering innovation, CTO hosted a special session dedicated to artificial intelligence, underscoring the organization’s forward-thinking approach. Additionally, the impactful work of the CTO Scholarship Foundation and the recently launched Jean Holder Memorial Scholarship will be in the spotlight along with the highly anticipated Women’s Leadership Breakfast Awards.
We also participated in Media market watch event, where media meets many destination, heads Ministers of tourism, PR Companies and many more stake holders, to showcase their destinations in the Caribbean.
We at World Liberty TV, have been covering Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), for over 21 years, I remember Mr. Jean Holder, who founded the CTO, organization and met on four different occasions, as he was the 1st Secretary general / CEO of the Organization, a wonderful man who would sit down with you and speak with you in detail about the progress of Tourism in the Caribbean, I would go as far to say, he was the Godfather of the Tourism industry in the Caribbean and a great visionary, Mr. Holder passed away in Feb 2022, may he rest in peace, I was very touched to attend Jean Holder Memorial Scholarship, luncheon in his honor, this year, he will never be forgotten by me and millions more in the Caribbean diaspora.
Bevan Springer, President and CEO of Marketplace Excellence, Luncheon donated $2500.00 dollars to the Jean Holder Memorial Scholarship fund. alongside with his team were the organizers of Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), week. I also want to say I have known Bevan over 20 years, he is a very honorable man, who strives to the very highest level, and I believe he and his team are the right choice to help put the Caribbean Tourist organization back to his glory days. He and his staff are professional and headed in the right way, I also want to give a shout out to Heather Gibbs, who is always helping and getting information to us.
About the Caribbean Tourism Organization: The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), headquartered in Barbados, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency, comprising membership of the region’s finest countries and territories, including Dutch-, English- and French-speaking, as well as a range of private sector allied members.
The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm-weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.
Among the benefits to its members, the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning and execution, and research and information technology.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation is the headline sponsor of Caribbean Week in New York. Gold sponsors include the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Experience Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.
Sandals Resorts International is a silver sponsor, and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is a bronze sponsor. Additional supporters include Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Caribbean Media Exchange, Diamonds International, and Marketplace Excellence.
Also a quick shout out to the 1st Woman to hold the title as the Secretary General/ CEO, MS. Dona Regis-Prosper, congrats to her. Minister Bryan lauded Regis-Prosper for her “wealth of experience, a passion for tourism and a commitment to the Caribbean that aligns perfectly with our organization’s vision”.
Dona Regis-Prosper has held prominent leadership roles in the public and private sectors within the Caribbean region. “Her qualified understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face positions her as an ideal leader to guide the organization into a prosperous future,” said Minister Bryan.
As Secretary-General, Regis-Prosper will be charged with providing strategic direction and leadership to the CTO staff, collaborating with more than two dozen member countries and territories, and working closely with partners and stakeholders to advance the organization’s mission.
This was one of the best CTO, events I attended, many great speakers, Ministers in attendance and of course meeting the Cricket Legend Joel Garner and interviewing him. You can see his exclusive interview in our World Liberty TV, Sports Channels by Clicking here.
You can see many videos and blogs of CTO, in our World Liberty TV, Travel and Tourism Channels by clicking here.
Hospitality and Financial Industry Executives Discussed the Latest Trends, Economic Influences and Projections at the 46th Annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference.
This week at the 46th annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference (NYU IHIIC), operated by Questex, a leading information services and event company, in partnership with the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) and its Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, top industry executives, from CEOs of hotel brands to various investment and real estate executives, discussed the latest trends, economic influences and projections.
The NYU IHIIC hosted more than 2,100 delegates, 20% of which were equity investors, representing more than $70B in hotel assets under management.
Sixty percent of investor attendees attended the conference for the first time, demonstrating the increasing appeal of hospitality as an investment class.
The NYU IHIIC has been the touchstone for hotel investment and development in the Americas for over 40 years.
Yearly, the conference program delivers unparalleled thought leadership through keynotes, general sessions, workshops, and networking events.
Over 180 top industry executives delivered unparalleled thought leadership through keynotes, general sessions and workshops.
This year’s event theme “Driving Alpha” showcased opportunities for those with expertise of the hotel/hospitality sector to drive profitability through operational innovation.
The opening keynote address was delivered by Ellen Zentner, Managing Director and Chief US Economist at Morgan Stanley, who set the tone with an overview of the ever-evolving macroeconomic landscape and its impact on the hospitality industry and the capital markets.
Other prominent leaders who presented at NYU IHIIC include: Geoff Ballotti, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, Gloria Guevara Manzo, Chief Special Advisor, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia (and former Secretary for Tourism of Mexico and former President and CEO of the WTTC).
Blackstone’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Jon Gray, received the inaugural Jonathan Tisch Active Citizenship Award.
The award celebrates the positive impact and achievements of a leader in the hospitality industry. Gray also participated in a Fireside Chat with Tisch, covering the state of the industry and his philanthropy.
“The CEOs Check In: Industry Titans on Driving the Hospitality Market” session brought together the leaders of the world’s major hospitality companies to share their insights on the shifts in the hospitality, travel, and real estate markets.
Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International; Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton; Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts; Mark S. Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer; Hyatt Hotels Corporation; and Sébastien M. Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Accor will share the macro-trends that will have the most significant impact on the market, the events that will reshape the industry, and the strategies for surpassing goals. The session was hosted by Sara Eisen, Anchor, Closing Bell, CNBC.
“For more than four decades, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference has been the go-to event for industry business leaders,” said Alexi Khajavi, Group President Hospitality, Wellness and Travel, Questex.
“In its first year under Questex management control, we have helped the conference grow while also delivering unparalleled content.
The robust discussions and insights shared by industry leaders highlight the resilience of our sector and also paved the way for innovative strategies and renewed growth.
I am particularly impressed by the forward-thinking approaches that emerged from the sessions. I expect they will set a strong foundation for future success.”
Nicolas Graf, Jonathan M. Tisch Chaired Professor and Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, said, “This year’s event carried on the tradition of engaging discussions and debates, emblematic of our industry’s dynamism and its innovative thinking and actions.
We look forward to seeing how the thought-provoking ideas and themes discussed here play out in the coming months and learning more about their impact when we gather again for the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in June 2025.”
A share of proceeds from the event will help fund student scholarships at the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and further support the program’s mission of educating and preparing future leaders and innovators for careers in global hospitality management, travel, and tourism.
NYU IHIIC 2025 takes place June 1-3, 2025 at the Marriott Marquis in New York.
About the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality: The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, now celebrating nearly 30 years of academic excellence, is a leading center for the study of hospitality, travel, and tourism.
Founded in 1995, the Tisch Center was established in response to the growing need for hospitality and tourism undergraduate and graduate education.
Its cutting-edge curricula attract bright, motivated students who seek to become leaders in their fields The Tisch Center recently launched the Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub), which will foster entrepreneurship and creative solutions for the industries it serves.
About Questex: Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences.
We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.
Three roundtable and special presentations were in the hospitality sector and tourism we attended, if you or your company is interested further go to each of the countries websites to learn about some of these projects.
Invest Saudi: where the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mahmoud Abdul Hadi, and his team spoke at the conference and shared their vision, for investors to come to Saudi Arabia, to build hotels, and engage in different business ventures, the minister and his team shared their vision of the Crown Prince Bin Salman’s Neom Project, a futuristic, technologically advanced city and economic zone aimed at diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy away from oil dependence. to learn more about this 1 Trillion-dollar project, click here the NEOM Project. , other projects discussed were to learn more and to be part of these projects, click here for more information.
SMIT Morocco, Ministry of Tourism for Morocco: Younes Hajoui, Asset Management head and Salim Mikram, Independent Advisor of ISTICH Consulting, spoke about great opportunities in Morocco, Morocco will become the second African country to host a FIFA football world cup after South Africa in 2010. The football’s world governing body announced on Wednesday (Oct. 04) that the north African kingdom together with Portugal and Spain will be joint hosts for the 2030 World Cup. Mr Hajoui, went on to say, they are building the world’s largest soccer stadium in the world, and many people are buying hotels, in the area, and will benefit hugely with millions of people in attendance. He also went on to say, they have great airports in the area, great rail service and other great infrastructure in place to handle the masses of people. To learn more or to invest in SMIT Morocco, click here.
Turismo De Portugal: 2 People Spoke about great opportunities, one of the speakers was Jose Tiago Silva, Partner of Explorer Investments, Mr Silva spoke how his company has close to 1 billion dollars of investment in Portugal in the Hospitality, sectors.
He also went on to say, there is many great opportunities’ in the hospitality sectors and the government is very friendly and offering many incentives for investors to invest in the hospitality sectors. To learn more click here.
It was a well-attended event, one of the elite hospitality conferences of the world, bring who is who? see more conferences like this in our World Liberty TV, Business Channels by clicking here.
