In commemoration of its 35th anniversary, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is gearing up to shine a spotlight on the future of Caribbean aviation during the upcoming Caribbean Week in New York, slated to take place from June 16-21, 2024, at the InterContinental Times Square in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Operating under the overarching theme of “Connecting the Globe, Celebrating Diversity,” this annual event is set to offer a diverse array of activities that underscore innovation and connectivity.
A focal point of this premier gathering for professionals in the travel industry, journalists, and members of the Caribbean Diaspora will be the Caribbean Airlift Forum. Led by Rosa Harris, the Chairperson of the CTO Board of Directors and the designated spokesperson for Caribbean Week, this forum is positioned as a crucial platform for deliberating on the challenges and opportunities within Caribbean air transportation. The discussions will encompass a range of topics, including route development, aviation competitiveness, partnerships, infrastructure investment, regulatory frameworks, and strategies to meet market demand. The primary objective is to facilitate dialogue among airlines, airports, tourism authorities, and aviation ministries, with the aim of enhancing connectivity and streamlining access to Caribbean destinations.
“We must continue to innovate and address the persistent challenges within intra-regional tourism, which, while recovering, remains a challenge for many of our destinations,” she continued. “Our focus at the Caribbean Airlift Forum is not only on celebrating our successes but also on critically analyzing our challenges to strengthen and diversify our connections to, from and across the region, ensuring a more robust and connected Caribbean,” said Harris.
In addition to the aforementioned forum, the week’s agenda includes a Business and Tourism Marketing Symposium, the Caribbean Media Awards, and sessions dedicated to artificial intelligence, crisis communications, and multicultural marketing. The headline sponsor is the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, and gold sponsors are the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and the United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, along with support from Diamonds International and the Caribbean Media Exchange.
