Ways to grow and thrive will be discussed at the 26th Caribbean Tourism Conference

A number of leading travel and tourism experts will provide valuable insight into successfully managing in turbulent times when they make presentations at various sessions at the 26th annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-26) in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) from October 16-18, 2003.

This year’s conference, themed: “Recovery and Growth in a Fiercely Competitive Environment” is expected to provide a vital platform for information exchange and to generate new ideas on how to grow and thrive in a highly competitive environment.

To discuss the subject “Stronger Together – Cooperative Strategies for Recovery and Growth” will take the floor on the opening day, among others, Frederique Raeymaekers, vice chairman of the European Travel Commission (ETC); Doug Fyfe, chief executive officer of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC); Bo W. Long, immediate past chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Jean Holder, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

Other confirmed speakers for CTC-26 include Professor Rex Nettleford (keynoter), vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies; Professor Hilary Beckles, principal of the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies; Dr. Peter Tarlow, president of Tourism & More Consulting; Ian Bertrand, a regional airline consultant; Marcia Brown, director of training and development at Ritz Carlton Hotel in St. Thomas, USVI, and Oliver Jordan, president of the Barbados Tourism Authority.

Also speaking during the event will be Pamela Richards, commissioner of tourism for the USVI; Edison Breisen, commissioner of tourism for Aruba; Felix Laboy, president and chief executive officer of e-Site Marketing; Kieran Tobin, managing director of Escape 2 Travel; Lisa Delpy Neirotti of George Washington University; Marie Mentone, chief executive officer of Sunburst Holidays; Dr. Michael Jackson, professor, tourism and hospitality at Temple University and Barry Biffle, managing director of marketing and revenue at US Airways.

CTC, the region’s premier tourism educational and networking event, provides a dynamic forum for regional tourism industry professionals to interact with their global peers. Through this interaction, delegates develop workable approaches to solving some of the concerns affecting the development of a viable and sustainable Caribbean tourism product.