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. | | CTO heads to Canada for tourism symposium | | |
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will join tourism leaders, policymakers, researchers and sustainability practitioners in Toronto this week for the Canadian–Caribbean Tourism Resilience Symposium, taking place July 29-30 at George Brown Polytechnic.
CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper will lead the organization’s delegation, which includes Sharon Banfield-Bovell, director of resource mobilization and development; Narendra Ramgulam, deputy director of sustainable tourism; and Taraneh Azimi, business development and marketing manager.
Held under the theme, “Co-Designing the Next Decade,” the two-day symposium is hosted by George Brown Polytechnic in partnership with CTO and the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC).
The program will feature expert panel discussions, interactive workshops, field excursions to sustainable tourism sites and cross-sector networking.
Discussions will explore climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable tourism planning, workforce development and retention, supply chain resilience, crisis preparedness, digital innovation and financing for sustainable tourism.
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, co-founder of GTRCMC and a leading international advocate for tourism resilience, will deliver the keynote address.
| | Tourism Trinidad has new board | Trinidad’s tourism leadership team | |
Tourism Trinidad Ltd. (TTL) has a new board of directors as the government advances plans to strengthen the tourism sector and increase its contribution to the national economy.
Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Senator Satyakama Maharaj formally presented letters of appointment to the board, which will be chaired by Benedict Hatem.
The board brings together professionals with expertise in marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, business management and the creative industries. Its members are:
- Andrea Bhagwandeen
- Kalene Garcia-Gosyne
- Vedanand Hargobin
- Rennie Mohammed
- Swamy Morgan
- Orlando Octave
- Indira Rambaran
- Pramilla Ramdahani
- Michael Salickram
- Rene Seepersadsingh
The appointments support the government’s vision for a sustainable tourism industry that contributes more meaningfully to economic diversification and the continued development of Trinidad and Tobago’s non-energy sector.
The government has set a target of doubling tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product, from 6% to 12%, by 2030.
Priority areas include business tourism, ecotourism, entertainment and culture, sports tourism, tertiary and health education tourism, and yachting.
| | American Airlines names new Caribbean and LATAM Leader | |
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American Airlines has named Pascual Alvarez managing director for Central America, South America and the Caribbean as part of a realignment of its regional leadership.
Alvarez oversees airport and customer operations while managing relationships with tourism partners, governments and industry stakeholders. The appointment follows José María Giraldo’s move to lead the airline’s Western U.S. region.
Under the new structure, Paola Torri will oversee Mexico and Canada, while Alvarez will serve as the airline’s principal leadership contact for the Caribbean-LATAM region.
| | “The Caribbean has never succeeded by acting alone. Our greatest advances have always been achieved through regional cooperation. Across generations, Caribbean nations have advanced through collaboration, shared institutions, common advocacy and a deep understanding that small states can exercise meaningful influence when we coordinate our efforts. That same spirit must now guide our approach to AI and digital transformation. The future we seek must be one of shared development, shared capability and shared success.” — Jaya Ramoutar, Executive Portfolio Manager, Project Management Office, Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, Trinidad and Tobago | | In case you missed it ... | | |
For Caribbean Tourism Authority highlights this week, click below:
| | “My prescription is simple: identify enterprises with global potential, finance them with private equity capital, shepherd them to success and support them through genuine public-private partnership governance. That is how small states can think big, earn globally and improve the quality of life for all.” — Dr. Basil Springer, Corporate Governance Advisor | Director, Marketplace Excellence | | |
World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on July 28 to raise awareness of viral hepatitis and encourage prevention, testing and treatment efforts worldwide.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most often caused by a viral infection. The five main hepatitis viruses are hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. The disease can spread through contact with infected body fluids, including blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids, and can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
According to the Pan American Health Organization, an estimated 2.1 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean are living with hepatitis B, while 4.1 million are living with hepatitis C. More than 125,000 deaths in the region each year are linked to viral hepatitis, with hepatitis B and C accounting for the vast majority of cases.
Globally, viral hepatitis affects hundreds of millions of people and is responsible for approximately 1.3 million deaths annually.
Hepatitis B can lead to serious complications, including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, and severe infection during pregnancy may affect both mother and child.
Viral hepatitis often develops without noticeable symptoms; therefore early testing and screening are important. Hepatitis B can be prevented through vaccination along with screening of donated blood to reduce transmission and protect public health.
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