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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. | |
Happy Women’s History Month | |
Caribbean tourism leaders champion equality | |
CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig (left) and CTO Chairman Kenneth Bryan | |
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The heads of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) reflected on International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 on Wednesday, March 8.
IWD falls in March, which is designated Women’s History Month, and aims to help champion women’s rights and equality across the world. This year, the United Nations observed IWD under the theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, which celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.
Voicing support for the UN’s theme this year, CHTA president Nicola Madden-Greig said education, innovation and technological change were integral for gender equality and the empowerment of women working in tourism in the digital age.
- Madden-Greig is one of four women who have headed CHTA during its 60-year history.
- She noted that the digital gender gap, which isolated women – and particularly rural women – during the COVID-19 pandemic, had less of an effect on women in tourism. However, when it comes to remuneration, gaps remain to be addressed.
- According to a 2019 UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) study, women in tourism earn 14.7 percent less than men.
- Madden-Greig pledged CHTA will continue to focus on increased education and training for “women in our industry, who make up the majority of the tourism workforce worldwide – approximately 54 percent compared to 39 percent in the broader economy.”
- CHTA’s Technology Task Force focuses on educating members on the latest tools for improving revenues and driving efficiencies with a specific emphasis on micro-, small-, and medium-sized tourism entities and independent tourism organizations, which continue to attract many women.
- “Additionally, as a woman leader in tourism, part of my mandate is to provide an example and way forward for future female leaders. It is time for more women to realize their full potential as leaders, entrepreneurs and workers within the industry with the skills and abilities to rise to the very top in all sub-sectors.”
CTO chairman Kenneth Bryan, who is also the Minister of Tourism and Transport of the Cayman Islands, said the focus of IWD this year reminded him of how much women have contributed to the success of Caribbean tourism.
- “We want to strengthen our efforts to give women the technical education needed to enable them to explore, learn, and rally for their rights, which will enhance the ability of the CTO to coalesce its best and brightest people for the betterment of our tourism product, and for the people of the Caribbean.”
- Bryan wants to ensure young women are fairly represented among new recruits into the sector.
- Women need to be elevated from being among the lowest paid and lowest status jobs in tourism to being recognized for the significant amount of unpaid work they often perform in family tourism businesses.
- There’s no need to reinvent the wheel because thanks to the UNWTO there are published guidelines on how the public and private sectors of the Caribbean and other countries can provide specific tools to support tourism institutions and businesses to integrate gender considerations into their efforts.
- IWD is a timely reminder of the need of Caribbean women for employment with equitable remuneration, entrepreneurship, leadership, community and education “to ensure that tourism in our region can act as a vehicle for the empowerment of women whilst highlighting and dealing with the remaining challenges for gender equality in tourism.”
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BHTA CEO prepares members for Marketplace
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BHTA CEO Ryan Forde (left) with BHTA Chairman Renée Coppin during the Quarterly General Meeting last week. | |
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Ryan Forde, the new chief executive officer of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), predicts that the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s 41st edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be a “landmark success”.
Addressing the BHTA’s first quarterly general meeting last week, Forde called for all hands on deck to prepare for the important marketing event of regional stakeholders and global travel sellers.
“So even though you might not be directly working in the operations of the tourism industry, do know that you have a huge part to play for the future of where Barbados goes,” he said, noting this is the first time Barbados will host the event.
“We definitely do need your assistance going forward with it and we’re going to make it a landmark success. Why? Because we want to sell Barbados, we want our people to be paid, we want our people to grow, and we also want to host many more trade shows in the future,” he said.
To register, visit www.chtamarketplace.com.
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P&O Cruises to name newest ship in Barbados | |
FCCA President Adam Ceserano (left) was joined by P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow during last week’s webinar. | |
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P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow joined Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) President Adam Ceserano for a timely webinar filled with insight about U.K. cruisers, how destinations can strengthen demand from this market, and an advance look at the growing excitement for the naming of its new vessel, Arvia.
The Caribbean is an extremely important destination for the U.K. cruise market. P&O Cruises brings about 150,000 passengers primarily to the Southern Caribbean each year. Since 2019, P&O’s capacity has grown by about 40 percent and its fleet has increased, including two new Excel-class ships.
Some highlights of the webinar include:
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Demand for cruise travel from the U.K. market, where travelers tend to take great care to plan for and make the most of their holidays, has been extremely strong, with the Caribbean continuing to emerge as a leader in destination choices. In Ludlow’s words: “In the U.K., holidays are sacred.”
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A Caribbean experience is on the “bucket list” of many U.K. travelers. The Caribbean is seen as a “marquee destination" and traveling to the region is an aspirational goal. A picture-perfect beach is always attractive to travelers, but showcasing authentic culture, identity and history is becoming increasingly important.
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Many first-time cruisers choose the Caribbean for their first holiday destination. Initial cruise experiences allow travelers to differentiate the region. Destinations are encouraged to present their unique cultures and identities that will resonate with guests and entice them to return as stayover visitors. Ludlow shared that British consumers tend to return multiple times as they identify the factors in specific destinations that they enjoy most.
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This week’s naming ceremony for Arvia will be a star-studded “world’s first”, complete with performances and events taking place on shore in Barbados. The live broadcast will also showcase the striking new interior design of the ship. The livestream will be available on Thursday, March 16 at 2 p.m. ET here: https://bit.ly/arviasnamingceremony.
The recorded webinar can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/weswNtv6UUQ.
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Shortcuts for Windows power users
Windows keyboard shortcuts are a great way to increase productivity. Here are some basic shortcuts that every user should know and use:
- Cut: Ctrl + X
- Copy: Ctrl + C
- Paste: Ctrl + V
- Save: Ctrl + S
- Undo: Ctrl + Z
- Redo: Ctrl + Y
- Open a new window: Ctrl + N
- Close a window: Alt + F4
- Switch between open windows: Alt + Tab
- Open the task manager: Ctrl + Shift + Esc
- Take a selective screenshot: Win + Shift + S
Try to incorporate some into your workflow and see how much more efficient you can be. Let us know if you are a Mac user so we can dedicate a future segment for you.
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World Oral Health Day takes place on March 20, 2023.
This day aims to empower people with the knowledge, tools and confidence to secure good oral health.
Oral diseases are a major health concern for many countries and negatively impact people throughout their lives. Oral diseases lead to pain and discomfort, social isolation and loss of self-confidence, and they are often linked to other serious health issues.
According to the Pan American Health Organization, nine out of 10 people around the world are at risk of some form of oral disease, ranging from tooth decay and gum disease to oral cancer. Prevention begins in childhood, yet even in developed countries, 60 to 90 percent of school-aged children have dental caries.
Oral disease can be prevented by:
- Brushing teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- Using dental floss every day
- Rinsing daily with fluoride mouthwash
- Having regular dental check-ups for both children and adults
- Avoiding soft drinks, artificial juices, and energy drinks
- Avoiding sweets, candies, and starchy snacks
- Avoiding junk foods
- Avoiding tobacco products and alcohol
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In this week’s MPE Caribbean Report, we look at the promising tourism outlook for the region presented last week by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. | | | | |
