St. George’s, Grenada – Grenada Tourism Minister, Hon. Glynis Roberts, is a member of a panel chosen by the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) to discuss the future of the tourist sector in the region.
The discussion – called a “Diaspora Forum’’ – will be held on Wednesday, June 9, 5.30 pm – 7.30 pm, at the New York Helmsley Hotel, 212 East 42nd Street, New York City. It’s part of the celebration of Caribbean Week in New York.
In an invitation to Minister Roberts, CTO Communications Specialist Johnson JohnRose, said she was being invited on the panel to share her “continued vision for tourism in your country with Caribbean nationals living in the New York area.’’
The forum, he added, will also “address the importance of the role of the Caribbean Diaspora as ambassadors for tourism in the region, and highlight steps that are being taken to encourage greater participation in tourism activities. Strategies for maximizing greater involvement of the Caribbean Diaspora and increasing tourism in the region during these challenging economic times will also be explored.’’
Apart from Mrs. Roberts, other panellists are Bishop Dr. Ebony Kirkland, President and CEO of Ebony Marketing Research; and Ms. Andrea Church, a Caribbean university student who has interned at CTO’s New York office. The discussion will be chaired by Irwine Clare, a well-known Caribbean talk show host in the New York area.
Caribbean Week in New York, which runs until June 12, involves participation from Grenada and 32 other countries including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. There are also representatives from the travel, tourism and lifestyle media, as well as artists, performers and celebrity chefs.
In addition to the forum and discussion, there are travel and tourism industry sessions, networking opportunities, and the showcasing of what organisers say are “the very best in foods, rums, traditions and music of the Caribbean.’’
The weeklong event, which is expected to draw up to 10,000 participants, is put on by the CTO, the Caribbean Week Planning Committee and the Diaspora Forum sub-committee.
Among the desired outcome of the forum and discussion, in which Minister Roberts will be participating as a panellist, are “the establishment of a Diaspora Committee – acting in an advisory capacity –to help the CTO plan and, where necessary, execute programmes to encourage the Caribbean Diaspora to travel to the region; a Diaspora Conference in the Caribbean and the template for a website which CTO is designing for the Diaspora,’’ said Mr. JohnRose.
