Upcoming CTC-28 to Focus on Technology´s Impact on Local Travel Industry

The impact of technology on the region´s tourism business will be the general focus of a crucial Master Class at the 28th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-28), which is taking place from October 21 to 26 this year at the Marriott Frenchman´s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort in the United States Virgin Islands.

With experts predicting that online travel will comprise more than 50 per cent of all travel bookings by 2006 and with travel sites becoming one-stop-shops for an entire travel experience it is important for those involved in Caribbean tourism to critically examine how best to make use of technology to drive business, the CTO said.

“There is no doubt that technology is changing the travel and tourism industry at lightening speed and impacting on where consumers are traveling, how they´re booking and what they´re spending, and the companies and destinations that max out their Internet presence to seize the new business opportunities that technology present will thrive,” said Hugh Riley, CTO´s director of marketing for the Americas.

CTO has made radical changes to the CTC program by replacing most of the normal plenary sessions and workshops with a series of “Master Class” educational seminars taught by travel and tourism industry experts. These Master Classes will result in Certificates of Achievement for delegates attending the courses.

A series of business meetings, including meetings of the executive committee, ministers and commissioners of tourism and the board of directors will immediately precede the conference.