CTO News

CTO to Showcase the Caribbean at WTM Latin America 2025

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (April 2, 2025) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is set to make a strong impact at WTM Latin America 2025, taking place in São Paulo, Brazil, from April 14-16, 2025. For the first time, CTO will host a dedicated Caribbean Pavilion, creating a unified regional presence to showcase the Caribbean’s diverse tourism offerings. Located at Booth M90, the pavilion will feature representatives from Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, Saint-Martin, and Turks & Caicos, providing a dynamic platform to engage with key stakeholders in the Latin American market.

As Latin America continues to emerge as an important source market for the Caribbean, CTO’s participation at WTM Latin America underscores the region’s commitment to strengthening partnerships, driving visitor arrivals, and showcasing the wide range of tourism experiences available across its member destinations. The Caribbean Pavilion will serve as a hub for pre-arranged trade meetings and multilingual services to enhance engagement. Through strategic networking and promotional activities, each participating destination will have the opportunity to connect with tour operators, travel agents, and media representatives, strengthening their presence in this growing market.

“CTO is excited to participate in WTM Latin America to engage with our partners in this growing market,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary General & CEO of CTO. “With increasing air connectivity and growing interest in the Caribbean from Latin American travelers, this event provides an invaluable platform for our member countries to showcase their distinct attractions, investment opportunities, and tourism developments.”

EM Marketing & Communication played a key role in facilitating this strategic partnership, leveraging its expertise in destination marketing and industry networking to strengthen CTO’s engagement in the Latin American market. Through its efforts, the Caribbean Pavilion will serve as a dynamic space for fostering new business relationships and expanding the region’s tourism reach.

“We are thrilled to support the CTO at WTM Latin America. This pavilion not only highlights the unique offerings of the Caribbean but also represents our commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships that drive sustainable growth in tourism. As Latin America emerges as a vital market for Caribbean travel, we recognize the immense potential for collaboration and engagement that will benefit both regions,” remarked Elsa Petersen, Founder & CEO at EM Marketing & Communication.

CTO’s presence at the event will also reinforce its mission of sustainable tourism development, highlighting regional initiatives that promote responsible travel, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation. Additionally, participating destinations will engage in B2B discussions to explore new opportunities in travel trade partnerships, airline collaborations, and market expansion strategies.

WTM Latin America is one of the region’s premier travel trade shows, attracting thousands of industry professionals from across Latin America and beyond. As part of its participation, CTO will also facilitate media engagements, reinforcing the Caribbean’s position as a top-tier destination for Latin American travelers seeking sun, sea, culture and adventure.

Inaugural CTO publication From the Sea Suite celebrates female leadership in the tourism industry

The inaugural issue of From the Sea Suite, the CTO’s annual publication dedicated to celebrating female leadership in the vital tourism industry. In this first issue, we feature over 40 remarkable female leaders from across the Caribbean and North America, all of whom work closely with the Caribbean Tourism Organization to fulfill our mandate.

This Women’s History Month, the Caribbean Tourism Organization is proud to spotlight the phenomenal women leading, shaping and transforming the region’s tourism industry.

From trailblazing ministers and directors to fearless CEOs and rising stars, the women featured in this special digital magazine reflect the strength, passion and innovation driving Caribbean tourism forward.

View From the Sea Suite.

CTO and CDB Partner to Strengthen Tourism Workforce Development in the Caribbean

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 18, 2025) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB, the Bank) are collaborating on a new initiative to modernize tourism education and workforce development across the Caribbean – strengthening the region’s competitiveness in an industry vital to its economic stability.

The Tourism Human Capital Development Project, funded through CDB’s Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network, will allocate about US$400,000 to update training materials, develop workforce management tools, and deliver professional development programs.

Titled “Enhancing the Knowledge and Skills of Tourism Workers in the Caribbean Region”, the project aims to bolster the sustainability of the tourism industry, particularly for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). By modernizing educational resources, the initiative will enhance tourism curricula, improve workplace management, and expand training opportunities for employers, workers and entrepreneurs in CTO member countries.

“These efforts will equip industry professionals with the skills needed to adapt to evolving market demands and ensure the sector’s long-term resilience,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General & CEO of CTO. “Strengthening our current and future workforce – from students and educators to MSMEs and industry leaders – is key to the sector’s growth. Through targeted training, technical assistance, and enhanced educational resources, this project empowers individuals and businesses to elevate industry standards, improve service delivery, and drive sustainable tourism development across the region.”

The initiative builds on findings from the 2022 Regional Human Resource Development Knowledge and Skills Audit (also financed and supported by the Bank), which identified critical skills and knowledge gaps in the sector. The project will update CTO’s tourism education materials from primary school through to university level, design an online workforce management platform, and introduce training focused on digital innovation and leadership.

“We are grateful to CDB, and its CTCS Network, for supporting this initiative to enhance the competitiveness of the Caribbean tourism workforce and businesses,” Regis-Prosper added.

According to L. O’Reilly Lewis, CDB’s Acting Director of Projects, the project advances strategic efforts to build production resilience and promote private sector operations, including MSMEs. He added that “the Bank is pleased to engage and support CTO with this initiative. We recognize the tourism industry’s significance to many of our regional economies and CDB’s Borrowing Members in terms of its contribution to both economic and social development. The Bank’s contribution to this project complements our ongoing efforts to engender a skilled and adaptable workforce in tourism-related businesses aimed at sustaining the competitiveness of the industry.”

With global economic uncertainties, increased competition and a growing emphasis on sustainable tourism, industry experts say attracting and retaining skilled workers will be crucial to the region’s economic future.

CTO Secretary-General Highlights Urgent Need for Climate Action at ITB Berlin

BERLIN, Germany (March 15, 2025) – Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper called for immediate and tangible climate action, financing and collaboration to protect tourism-dependent destinations during a high-profile panel discussion at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel trade shows, which concluded last week.

Regis-Prosper was speaking during a panel on the Orange Stage titled “From Promise to Progress: Steering Tourism in Challenging Times”, alongside global tourism executives 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,” Regis-Prosper explained, emphasizing the Caribbean’s unique economic dependency. “At least eight out of the 10 most [tourism]-dependent nations in the entire world are based in the Caribbean. And for some of our destinations, up to 80% of GDP is tourism-based.”

Regis-Prosper added that while Caribbean destinations have already taken significant steps toward sustainability, including community-based tourism, circular economy initiatives, and strict regulations on single-use plastics, access to financing remains a critical challenge.

“There’s a saying that faith without works is dead. We certainly have the faith in the Caribbean. We are willing to work – we are hardworking people – but the gap is that access to financing, and that’s how you get to work,” Regis-Prosper told attendees, referencing the Caribbean’s active participation at COP29 in Baku last year.

The panel, moderated by Professor Willy Legrand of IU International University of Applied Sciences and Heleri Rande of Think Hospitality, also featured Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Communications at WTTC, who highlighted that more than half of the world’s top travel and tourism companies have now committed to clear climate targets. “We are seeing some progress, but we know we need to do a lot more,” Messina said on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Glen Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, advocated for global adoption of standardized metrics to measure sustainability. “We want [transparent], verifiable real-time data,” Mandziuk noted, adding that industry leadership is essential.

Misa Labarille, Policy Officer for Tourism with the EU, announced her organization’s plans to launch its first dedicated tourism sustainability strategy next year, saying the commission is prioritizing tourism amid mounting global pressures and challenges. “Going forward, what we want to do is to launch a new strategy, a new strategy for sustainable tourism,” Labarille said, noting extensive consultations planned throughout the year.

John Fitzgibbon, Managing Director of NECSTouR, underscored the essential role destination management organizations play in delivering these EU-wide strategies. “It’s really important that the voice of the regions, who are at the sharp end, in [the] frontline of delivering these EU strategies and national policies as well … have something to say about all of this,” he stated.

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

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

CTO Launches Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase to Inspire Future Caribbean Tourism Leaders

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 12, 2025) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has launched the Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase 2025, a dynamic competition designed to engage and empower the next generation of Caribbean tourism leaders. Open to tertiary-level students from universities and colleges across CTO member countries, the initiative challenges student teams to develop forward-thinking, sustainable business proposals that drive economic growth and enhance the region’s global tourism appeal.

Through research, collaboration and presentation, students will explore key facets of the tourism industry, designing initiatives that contribute to the long-term success of Caribbean destinations. The competition fosters creativity and innovation, bridges academic learning with real-world applications, and provides a platform for students to engage directly with industry leaders.

CTO Secretary-General & CEO Dona Regis-Prosper emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating:

“The future of Caribbean tourism lies in the hands of our young, talented minds. The Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase is more than a competition – it is an opportunity to cultivate innovation, empower students, and ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for our region’s tourism industry. We invite students across CTO member countries to take on this challenge and become part of the movement shaping the Caribbean’s tourism landscape.”

As part of its broader commitment to fostering youth engagement, CTO has long supported educational programs such as the Caribbean Primary School Creative Writing Competition, Regional Tourism Youth Congress, and Caribbean Students Colloquium. The Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase continues this tradition by providing students with the opportunity to gain industry exposure, refine their skills, and develop tourism solutions with lasting impact.

CTO encourages students from across its member countries to register and participate in the Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase 2025. The competition will recognize and award business proposals that demonstrate the greatest potential for positive social, economic and environmental impact while showing strong promise for attracting investment and long-term viability.

The top teams will advance to the Finals, where they will present their innovative initiatives to an audience of tourism industry leaders at Caribbean Week in New York this June.