Adducing family problems, Jamaica-born Karen Ford-Warner has resigned as acting secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Her resignation will be effective on May 10th. Ford-Warner, who has been holding the leading post since the retirement last September of Jean Holder, joined CTO as deputy secretary general in January 1999.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is has a job opening for a Sustainable Tourism Product Specialist, who will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of projects and activities that will enhance the growth, quality, competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is welcoming entries of articles and photographs that have appeared during 2004 for its 2005 Worldwide Travel Writer/Photographer Contest, aimed at recognizing and rewarding excellence in features and photos published or broadcast about the Caribbean region. Cost for entries will remain the same as last year at US$25 per entry for single articles and photographs and US$40 for an entry of a portfolio for Travel Writer or Photographer of the Year Awards.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) all parties interested that it has organized a round table discussion at the seventh Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-7), slated for Tobago from April 26-29, aimed at helping delegates identify avenues to market Caribbean products that are in accordance with sustainable tourism principles, including ecotourism.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is predicting continued growth for the region´s tourism industry in 2005, increasing by at least 5 % over the 2004 results, CTO´s Director of Information Management and Research, Arley Sobers, has predicted. After recalling that during 2004 a record 21.8 million stayover visitors and 20 million cruise ship passengers visited the region, Mr Sobers said the projection is based on the current trend in the industry and reservations already booked.

Thousands of potential visitors will be exposed to the Caribbean´s way of life at two major travel shows in the United States next month. Over 25 Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) member countries, as well as regional private sector travel companies are participating in the New York Times Travel Show from March 4-6, 2005 and The Miami Herald Travel Expo on March 19 and 20, giving the region a high profile at both events.