CTO Secretary-General Highlights Urgent Need for Climate Action

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper called for urgent climate action, financing, and collaboration to protect tourism-dependent destinations. Her remarks were part of a high-profile panel discussion at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel trade shows, which concluded last week.

Regis-Prosper participated in the Orange Stage panel titled “From Promise to Progress: Steering Tourism in Challenging Times”, alongside global tourism leaders from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the European Commission, and NECSTouR.

Highlighting the Caribbean’s vulnerability to climate change, Regis-Prosper stressed the urgent need for practical tools and financing to help tourism-dependent regions navigate escalating climate impacts.

“Sustainability is our currency,” she stated, emphasizing the region’s strong economic reliance on tourism. “At least eight of the ten most tourism-dependent nations in the world are in the Caribbean. And in some of our destinations, up to 80% of GDP comes from tourism.”

While recognizing the Caribbean’s progress in community-based tourism, circular economy initiatives, and strict regulations on single-use plastics, she pointed out that access to financing remains a critical challenge. “There’s a saying that faith without works is dead. In the Caribbean, we have faith, we are willing to work, we are hardworking people, but the gap is in access to financing. And that’s how you get to work,” she explained, referencing the Caribbean’s active participation at COP29 in Baku last year.

The panel was moderated by Professor Willy Legrand of the IU International University of Applied Sciences and Heleri Rande of Think Hospitality. Among the speakers, Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President of WTTC, highlighted that more than half of the world’s top travel and tourism companies have now committed to clear climate targets, though much more needs to be done in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, Glen Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, advocated for the global adoption of standardized metrics to measure sustainability, emphasizing the importance of transparent, verifiable real-time data. Misa Labarille, Policy Officer for Tourism at the European Commission, announced the upcoming launch of a dedicated tourism sustainability strategy in 2026, stating that the EU Commission is prioritizing tourism amid mounting global challenges.

Closing the discussion, panelists each selected one defining word for the tourism industry in 2025. Regis-Prosper chose “reimagine”, reflecting her call for a fresh approach that balances economic growth and climate responsibility. Other choices included “together” (Messina), “innovation” (Mandziuk), “smart” (Labarille), and “opportunity” (Fitzgibbon).

ITB Berlin 2025, which welcomed over 100,000 visitors (with 87% international attendees), reinforced tourism’s pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future.