New Leader for Caribbean Tourism

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has confirmed Barbadian Hugh Riley as its new secretary general. The announcement was made last week by CTO’s chairman, John Maginley, who described Riley as an experienced Caribbean tourism professional with a clear vision of how to advance the region’s tourism industry.

His appointment follows several months as acting secretary general and an equally extensive search and thorough selection process. He succeeds Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas.

As the CTO’s chief executive officer, Riley will oversee the organization’s offices in Barbados, North America and Europe .

The former CTO marketing director of North America takes up his new job amid the current global economic downturn that has severely impacted the Caribbean tourism industry. A recent report indicates that this past winter, Caribbean hotels saw a 16 percent decline in profits compared to last year.