New York – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has tapped Quinn & Co., a New York City-based award-winning public relations firm, to handle the USA PR efforts for the region.
After a multi-stage PR review process, which began with 20 proposals and culminated with presentations by six companies in the finals, Quinn & Co. was selected as the agency of record for CTO. The PR review committee consisted of Cortwright Marshall, director of tourism policy and planning for Antigua & Barbuda, and chairman of the CTO’s Board of Directors; John Lynch, director of tourism for Jamaica and chairman of the CTO’s marketing committee; Emanuel Tchividian, head of the ethics committee for the New York chapter of the Public Relations Society of America; Hugh Riley, CTO secretary general & CEO; Sylma Brown Bramble, CTO director of marketing; Fernando Abreu, CTO deputy director of marketing; and Johnson Johnrose, CTO communications specialist.
“The Caribbean Tourism Organization is thrilled to have Quinn & Co. on board and working on behalf of our 34 member nations and partners,” said Sylma Brown Bramble. “Their reputation and expertise in the travel industry coupled with their creativity and passion for the Caribbean will translate into increased awareness for the region,” she concluded. “We have watched and admired Quinn & Co.’s work for the region’s partners from afar, and have appreciated their contributions to CTO over the years. We are excited to be working one-on-one with them now and look forward to what’s to come.”
Quinn & Co. has represented Caribbean accounts more than 15 years. They bring an understanding of the travel industry, and the region specifically, having worked with islands such as Aruba, BWIA West Indies Airways Limited, brands such as Hilton Caribbean and Occidental Hotels & Resorts to industry partners like Liberty Travel and GOGO Worldwide Vacations. Creative programs that have been conceived and implemented by Quinn & Co., such as the first-ever destination bridal registry for Aruba and Starwood Caribbean’s “Procreation Vacation,” have resulted in increased awareness, A-list media coverage, bookings, website traffic and industry awards.
“Working with CTO has always been a part of our Quinn & Co. vision,” said Carla Caccavale Reynolds, partner at Quinn & Co., who will be intimately involved in the account, providing strategic and creative direction. “The Caribbean is rich in culture, history and experiences unique to the region. We are eager to highlight the many assets and the diversity the Caribbean has to offer while also developing and implementing new, creative initiatives.”
Michelle Abril, an associate vice president who has been with Quinn & Co. for nearly six years, will be working on the CTO business along with an account executive.
Quinn & Co. is an award-winning, NYC-based public relations agency that specializes in Food, Wine + Spirits, Real Estate and Travel. The 35-plus person agency ranks among the top 10 travel PR firms and among the top 15 professional services (including real estate) public relations companies in the U.S. (O’Dwyer’s). Throughout the firm’s 21-year tenure it has received numerous Bulldog Reporter awards and nearly 100 Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards, including the coveted Best of Show (best travel campaign in the world) two years in a row. Quinn & Co. was the U.S. PR firm behind The Best Job in the World campaign for Tourism Queensland, which won the most recent HSMAI Best of Show. For more information and additional case studies visit www.quinnandco.com.
