Visitor arrivals in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2009 will decline between 20 percent and 35 percent depending upon the destination, according to Harold Lovell, chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and minister of tourism for Antigua & Barbuda. “Based on the reports we have been getting, we know that the winter season will be very challenging and will require tremendous ingenuity and skill to take us through this difficult period,” Lovell said.

Visitor arrivals in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2009 will decline between 20 percent and 35 percent depending upon the destination, according to Harold Lovell, chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and minister of tourism for Antigua & Barbuda. “Based on the reports we have been getting, we know that the winter season will be very challenging and will require tremendous ingenuity and skill to take us through this difficult period,” Lovell said.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization in January will launch online programs aimed at improving its North American chapter system and the way that travel agents do business.

Hugh Riley, Interim Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, released a positive statement on the state of the global economy and its impact on the tourism industry worldwide. “It is no secret,” he said, “that the economic uncertainty and fluctuations in consumer confidence are having a ripple effect, but I’m happy to say that interest in the Caribbean remains high in North America. As we move toward 2009 we see some positive signs for the industry.

Caribbean Week in New York will return to New York in June. The once-annual New York event, hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, was scratched last June in favor of the first annual business-focused Caribbean Tourism Summit, which took place in Washington. Both events now will be held back-to-back in early June 2009, with dates still to be determined.

A scholarship opportunity may soon become available for Caribbean residents who work in the tourism industry. This development is the result of a donation by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association of $10,000 to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Foundation, Inc.