Get kissed by a dolphin: SOTIC companion program offers opportunities

A hug and a kiss from a dolphin; a local tasting and history tour, including a visit to the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere; an encounter with underwater life and a shopping tour are some o

A hug and a kiss from a dolphin; a local tasting and history tour, including a visit to the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere; an encounter with underwater life and a shopping tour are some of the events planned as part of a companion program for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)โ€™s State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Curacao from October 21-23.

The program is being organized as an option for persons who wish to accompany conference delegates to Curacao but who to engage in activities outside the conference program.

โ€œCuracao is such a fascinating Caribbean destination with so much to offer, we wanted to introduce delegates and presentersโ€™ companions to the myriad experiences while the delegates are engaged in conference activities,โ€ said Sylma Brown, the head of the CTOโ€™s New York office which responsibility for organizing the conference.

The companion program includes a tour of the unique and colourful capital, Willemstad, along with a shopping tour; a local food tasting hike, which includes a visit to the oldest synagogue on the western hemisphere; a dolphin encounter, where there will be opportunities to get a hug or a kiss from a dolphin or to swim with the sociable mammal; an โ€œAquafariโ€ experience, where participants get to dive on self-propelled submersible scooters; a โ€œChi Chiโ€ workshop on the sensual, well-rounded figure; and paddle boarding through the Spanish Water.

The companion program is being coordinated by Destination Curacao. For details and registration, as well as registration for SOTIC, please visit the OneCaribbean website.

The CTO State of the Industry Conference is the pre-eminent tourism gathering in the region. It brings together tourism decision-makers, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, hotel and airline executives, travel agents, students, the media and persons directly and indirectly involved in tourism. It is preceded by CTO business meetings, including meetings of the board of directors and the Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism. The keynoter is Robin Hayes, the president and chief executive officer of JetBlue Airways.

This yearโ€™s conference, which has as its theme, Caribbean Tourism: Growth Through Innovation, is organized in collaboration with Curaรงaoโ€™s Ministry of Economic Development and the Curaรงao Tourism Board, with support from the United Nations tourism agency, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). It will be held at the World Trade Center in Willemstad.

For more information on SOTIC, including how you can register, participate and benefit, visit onecaribbean.org. For a personal welcome by Curacaoโ€™s Minister of Economic Development Stanley Palm, please click on the following link: bit.ly/1K1V2Xg.

About Curacao

Home to more than 35 captivating beaches, a diverse heritage spanning 55 different cultures, ‘live and let live’ attitude and unrivaled European architecture; Curacao remains one of the most exceptional islands of the region. Its capital city, Willemstad โ€“ a UNESCO World Heritage site โ€“ with its iconic colorful Handelskade backdrop and roster of museums, monuments, flavorful restaurants and shopping, was selected in 2014 as one of USA Todayโ€™s 10 Best Caribbean Destinations. Curacaoโ€™s natural beauty, pristine diving and snorkeling sites are a favorite with divers and adventure seekers, and its beaches and idyllic weather, situated on the outer fringes of the Hurricane Belt, has won it further accolade and recognition. To learn more about Curaรงao please visit curacao.com, call toll free 1.800.328.7222 or download our newest brochure at curacao.com/brochure.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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