CTO’s State of the Industry Conference receives overwhelming endorsement

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) which was held in Curaçao in late October has received a ringing endorsement from delega

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) which was held in Curaçao in late October has received a ringing endorsement from delegates, with well over nine out of ten rating the event highly.

A survey of delegates conducted during and after the conference has revealed that 95 per cent rated SOTIC excellent or good, and 100 per cent said they would attend another CTO conference. Ninety-six per cent said the theme, Caribbean Tourism: Growth Through Innovation, was well chosen.

“With the survey results now in and the analysis having taken place, it gives us clear insight into what delegates want, what we have done well and what we must improve on,” said secretary general Hugh Riley.
“We are pleased with the survey results but we know we must keep striving to make each conference even better than the one before. Already we’re developing incredible ideas for the 2016 SOTIC, which will be in Barbados.”

The poll found that virtually all of the delegates scored the sessions, the entire conference and the host country, Curaçao, very highly, with three-quarters saying it was good value for money.

Nearly nine in ten (87 per cent) thought all the sessions were either good or excellent, with the session entitled, ‘The Age of Innovation – Increasing ROI’, rated by 96 per cent of delegates as either good or excellent. The keynote presentation by Robin Hayes, the CEO and President of JetBlue was also highly acclaimed, with 94 percent of delegates scoring it excellent or good.

Other survey highlights include:

• All delegates rated the Caribbean Tourism Youth Congress good or excellent.

• Ninety-seven per cent thought the closing party was good or excellent.

• The opening ceremony was well received with 86 per cent rating it good or excellent.

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.

SOTIC 2015 was held in collaboration with Curaçao’s Ministry of Economic Development and the Curaçao Tourism Board, with support from the UNWTO and the WTTC.

A date is being finalized for SOTIC 2016 in Barbados and will be released as soon as it is agreed.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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