Kingston, Jamaica – The recently concluded Caribbean Tourism Summit and Outlook Seminar 2012 is being hailed as a major success. The event, which was held from June 15 – 16, 2012, was fully subscribed with some 253 delegates from across the globe turning out at the Ritz Carlton Golf and Spa Resort in Montego Bay. Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill says, “the summit was a tremendous success and I am very happy with the outcome.
The large number of persons who attended is a clear indication that industry leaders from the Caribbean and farther afield are serious about collaborating to move the tourism industry forward. The various discussions have underscored the need for us to pool our resources and work together to surmount the obstacles facing the industry.”
Work is now underway to ensure that the information gathered from the discussions during the summit will help to shape tourism policy in the region. “In order to ensure that there is a lasting benefit from the body of knowledge and best practices presented over the two days, we engaged noted University of the West Indies lecturer and researcher, Prof. Ian Boxill, who will spearhead the publication of a report on the discussions and outcome of the seminar. The information will be shared with the wider tourism community and will be used in developing an action plan for the region,” Minister McNeill expressed.
Director General and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Alec Sanguinetti who chaired the summit, says “the only way to grow Caribbean tourism is through collaboration and creating certain key conditions. If we do not act to deal with the issues in question, the repercussions are very serious. This is an opportunity for us in the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and CHTA are very committed to seeing it happen; and to this end we await the paper to be produced by Prof. Boxhill.”
Director of Tourism, John Lynch, who was among the esteemed panelists, said “the summit was a landmark event which will redound to the benefit of the tourism sector not only in Jamaica but the entire region. It provided an excellent platform for frank discussion on the issues facing the sector and the likely solutions and facilitated well needed debate on the way forward.”
The summit was jointly organized by the CHTA, the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Among the key topics examined were airlift, travel facilitation policies and the competitiveness of the Caribbean vacation experience.
