Tourism Marketers Gather in NYC

Caribbean tourism marketers, policy makers and practitioners will be exposed to the latest expert tactics and best practices in marketing and brand reputation during Caribbean Week in New York.

Some of the most influential travel industry experts in the US will provide detailed guidance about how to select and leverage well-known mediums to encourage travel and loyalty to the region during this year’s Caribbean Tourism Marketing Conference organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization allied members.

The strategies to be presented will range from the effective use of the travel website, TripAdvisor, to utilizing the latest trends in online marketing and social media for reputation management. In addition, participants will get insights into airline consolidation and effective strategies for marketing medical and wellness tourism.

One of the main presenters is Mark Raggio, a senior executive at the route development consulting firm, ASM. Mr. Raggio, whose responsibilities include performing quantitative analysis for airport clients, will speak on the topic, “The Impact of Consolidation and How it Affects the Caribbean”.

Another key presenter is Steven Paganelli, the head of destination marketing sales in the Americas for Trip Advisor. He will deal with how destinations can mobilize their private sectors to produce favorable TripAdvisor reviews, while Sree Sreenivasan, the chief digital officer at Columbia University and a social-media blogger for CNET News, will talk about the implications of social networks.  

Delegates attending the marketing conference will also hear from Daniel Edward Craig, the founder of Reknown. Reknown develops strategy, content, training programs and guidelines to help hoteliers and travel marketers understand and adopt the latest trends, tools and best practices in online marketing, social media and reputation management. Mr. Craig, a former hotel general manager and marketing executive turned author and consultant, will speak on reputation management in the digital age.  

Rounding out the panel of presenters will be Linden Schaffer, a certified wellness expert and the founder of Pravassa, a wellness company based in New York. She will give attendees an in-depth look at medical and wellness tourism opportunities and will help them set a direction for the future of this specialty market.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to speak at such a prestigious event and share my passion for wellness and travel,” Ms. Schaffer said. “I am going to speak to various trends in the industry that I’ve uncovered, both in my own business and through market research I’ve conducted throughout the year.”

The Caribbean Tourism Marketing Conference takes place from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Friday, 7 June at the New Yorker Hotel. Now in its 19th year, the conference, which is hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s allied members in collaboration with the Association of Travel Marketing Executives, will be attended by government ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, as well as senior tourism industry representatives from the private sector.