CTO News

CTO Mourns the Passing of Former Chairman Pamela Richards

BARBADOS (May 25, 2024) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) mourns the passing of Pamela Richards, former U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism and CTO Chairman, this week.

CTO Chairman Kenneth Bryan, Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands, stated, “The U.S. Virgin Islands and the Caribbean have lost a tireless leader who championed the cause of the Virgin Islands and the broader Caribbean tourism industry.”

Richards’ dedication to tourism and numerous important causes throughout the Virgin Islands helped to advance socioeconomic development and quality of life in the Virgin Islands. “She was an exemplar when it came to service, and her passion, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on the region,” Bryan added.

As CTO chairman from 2004 to 2006, Richards presided over the appointment of Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace as Secretary-General in 2005, following the late Jean Holder’s retirement in December 2004.

During her chairmanship, CTO embarked on several initiatives to strengthen Caribbean tourism, including improving tourism data collection across the region, expanding training and development for staff in the tourism sector, developing a world-class membership site focused on best practices, expanding public relations activities, and committing to public-private sector-focused sustainable development and cooperation through an MOU with the Caribbean Hotel Association (the forerunner of today’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association).

Richards led the USVI in expertly hosting the CTO’s annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-28) meeting in St. Thomas in October 2005.

Chairman Bryan extended condolences to Richards’ family, friends, and the government and people of the Virgin Islands.

Hotelschool The Hague and CTO Forge Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Innovation

THE HAGUE (May 22, 2024) – Hotelschool The Hague (HTH) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) have announced a partnership to ignite sustainable practices and innovation across the global tourism landscape. This collaboration expands the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) into the Caribbean region, broadening the platform’s reach.

Globally recognized for inspiring students to develop inventive solutions to sustainability challenges in hospitality, SHC is set to bring its impactful competition to the Caribbean. This expansion leverages the region’s unique cultural diversity and perspectives, enriching the competition and sparking new innovative solutions.

Through this collaboration, SHC seeks to create an inclusive space for students worldwide to present their ideas and contribute to the sustainable tourism dialogue. With SHC’s extensive network alongside the CTO’s commitment to positioning the Caribbean as a premier travel destination and its dedication to leading sustainable tourism initiatives, this initiative promises Caribbean students a stage to exhibit their tourism expertise on a global scale.

This collaboration between HTH/SHC and CTO signals the organizations’ shared dedication to driving innovation and sustainability within the hospitality industry. It aims to empower future leaders to foster positive change and build a sustainable legacy for generations to come.

“We are delighted to witness the expansion of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge into the Caribbean region,” says Paul Griep, Director of Alumni & Industry Relations at Hotelschool The Hague and Founder of SHC.

“Personally, I am thrilled by SHC’s extension into such a culturally rich and diverse region. At SHC, we firmly believe that the best innovations can originate from anyone, anywhere. We aim to offer every student worldwide the opportunity to share their ideas. With its abundance of tourism knowledge, the Caribbean region provides an ideal environment for nurturing innovative solutions. We eagerly anticipate the contributions that students from the Caribbean will bring to the table,” he continued.

“Partnering on such an initiative marks a significant stride for CTO, amplifying our ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of Caribbean tourism leaders,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, CTO’s Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer. “This collaboration not only reinforces our dedication to engaging future leaders in tourism-related activities but also underscores our alignment with global and regional sustainability initiatives,” she continued.

The CTO leader noted that the organizations are poised to catalyze the development of innovative, resilient, equitable and sustainable tourism products that resonate on a local and global scale.

This new endeavor builds upon CTO’s past and present youth development programs, which include the CTO Student Colloquium, which targets tertiary-level students from the Caribbean, and the CTO Regional Youth Congress for secondary school students between the ages of 14 and 17.

Notably, for the first time, the Caribbean will be represented at the SHC, with a team from the University of the West Indies Mona Campus participating in the semifinals in Miami this week.

About Hotelschool The Hague

Hotelschool The Hague is one of the oldest independent hotel schools in the world, with two campuses, one in The Hague and one in Amsterdam, and more than 2,850 students and 250 employees.

The school offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management, a Fast-Track Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management, a 13-month Master of Business Administration in International Hospitality Management, a Masters in Leading Hotel Transformation, and a Professional Doctorate Program in Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality.

For more information, visit www.hotelschool.nl.