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The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter offers travel, tourism, Caribbean and global news weekly. To share stories, information or intelligence, contact us at info@marketplaceexcellence.com. | |
Barbados to host major tourism event | |
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For the first time ever, the small island of Barbados will host the region’s biggest travel and tourism trade event.
Caribbean Travel Marketplace, where tourism suppliers meet face-to-face with global wholesalers who sell Caribbean vacation travel, will be held in Barbados, May 9-11, 2023, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
Caribbean Travel Marketplace 41 will include the second annual Caribbean Travel Forum & Awards, which kicks off on Tuesday, May 9 ahead of the official opening ceremony of Marketplace.
The Forum will once again focus on the business of tourism, while business appointments will be held on Wednesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 11.
Registration details will be available soon.
For more information, visit www.chtamarketplace.com.
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Bahamas confirms Latia Duncombe to top tourism post | |
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Accomplished tourism professional Latia Duncombe is no longer acting as the country’s top tourism executive. She has been named Director General of Tourism, Investments & Aviation for the Bahamas.
“During the past year, Mrs. Duncombe has brought energetic leadership to our senior executive management team at the Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation,” said Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper, who is also the minister responsible for the tourism sector.
“She has made a seamless transition from the corporate sector to public service, parlaying her wealth of knowledge and experience into outstanding leadership of Team Tourism. She came aboard at a critical juncture as we undertook the task of tourism recovery and has worked tirelessly toward the goal of getting our industry back on track,” he commented.
Duncombe, a former Miss Bahamas World, becomes the seventh executive to be named Director General in the Ministry of Tourism and the third female to be appointed as Technical Head.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be given the opportunity to lead the Bahamas’ chief economic engine. Tourism is a fascinating industry and one that touches the lives of the entire population and guarantees the socioeconomic stability of the Bahamas,” she stated.
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Dominica registering encouraging results | |
Secret Bay, a top resort in Dominica and the Caribbean | |
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Tourism is picking back up in the Eastern Caribbean island nation of Dominica.
The destination welcomed 60,704 stopover visitors in 2022 compared to 14,888 in 2021 with the uptick attributed to an increase in post-pandemic travel demand, relaxed COVID protocols, new American Airlines service from Miami, and leading industry accolades.
“We are thrilled to see the comeback of travel,” said Discover Dominica CEO Colin Piper. “We are still working toward recovery as we are not yet back to pre-pandemic numbers, but we are in a good place as we begin 2023 with strong bookings throughout the winter travel season. In 2023, Dominica remains focused on its sustainability efforts, which is becoming an increasingly popular selling point of the island.”
The Nature Island was recognized by readers of Travel + Leisure as the number one island on the “Best Islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas” list for 2022, and Secret Bay in Portsmouth topped the list of “Best Resort Hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas”.
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Respected Jamaican-American attorney and community activist Marlon Hill has been named partner at Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman (WSHC+B), a prominent Florida law firm serving corporate, governmental and individual clients.
Hill, who previously served as Of Counsel at WSHC+B before earning the promotion, advises business owners, artist entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations and government agencies on all aspects of corporate governance and strategic operational development, from drafting contracts to securing intellectual property and strategic business immigration petitions, especially across the tourism, hospitality, media and entertainment industries.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and a past student at St. George’s College, Hill is a civic and community leader who has served in many roles across South Florida where he is currently a board member of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Miami Parking Authority, Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation, and BMe Community. He is also an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee.
Hill presently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of GraceKennedy Foods (USA) LLC and KLE Group Ltd. and is regional legal counsel for the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
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Promoting Cruise Excellence | |
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With generally favorable weather conditions year-round, an abundance of stunning natural resources, countless historical and cultural attractions, unparalleled cuisine, and a warm hospitality profile, it’s not surprising that the Caribbean is a popular choice for cruise travel. In fact, for many Caribbean destinations, cruise tourism represents a significant slice of the overall tourism pie.
Cruise tourism has been a major contributor to national economies around the world for decades, creating jobs and bringing visitors who spend money locally. More recent trends include a focus on promoting health and safety, concerted efforts to enhance environmental sustainability and achieve carbon neutrality, and a commitment to destination stewardship and responsible tourism.
Over the next few weeks, we will share strategies for delivering excellent service to cruise tourists (as well as stayover visitors). We are grateful to Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, the leading destination training provider for the global cruise industry, for providing an “insider’s” perspective. For more than 15 years, Aquila has been elevating the visitor experience through service excellence.
Our first installment next week will present some basic points about how cruise passenger experiences impact cruise line operations and the destinations they visit.
Stay tuned!
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International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) takes place on February 15, 2023.
ICCD represents a global campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer and express support for children and adolescents with cancer, the survivors, and their families.
Every year, more than 400,000 children and adolescents below the age of 20 are diagnosed with cancer. The survival rate is 80 percent in most high-income countries but as low as 20 percent in low and middle-income countries.
The target goal of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is to eliminate all pain and suffering of children fighting cancer and achieve at least 60 percent survival for all children diagnosed with cancer worldwide by 2030. This will save the lives of an additional one million children over the next decade.
ICCD helps to bring attention to the important goal for all children and adolescents with cancer to benefit from the best possible treatment, care and support regardless of where they live in the world.
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In this week’s MPE Caribbean Report, Angella Bennett, regional director of the Jamaica Tourist Board’s (JTB) Canadian operations, talks about the important role of travel advisors in the island’s recovery. | | | | |
