The Caribbean Tourism Organization's (CTO) Winfield Griffith, director of research and information, and Hugh Riley, the organization's secretary general, held an Internet press conference in Barbados on Monday, Feb. 8, to assess the state of business to the Caribbean in 2009 and in the early going in 2010. While the U.S. numbers to the region decreased by 4 percent, the Canadian market increased 8.6 percent. Griffith pointed out that in late 2009 and in the beginning of 2010, the U.S. has begun to show signs of improvement. Cruises held steady with a growth of 1.4 percent, a strength that was attributed to the new mega ships. Hotel occupancy and RevPAR showed a slight increase in the last quarter of 2009. Visitor spending has shown a reduction. Riley said that the CTO expected a 2 to 3 percent increase in 2010.
Riley also stressed that the Caribbean region is rallying around Haiti, not only in raising funds to help the country in its recovery from its recent earthquake, but also in what he described as a "concerted effort" to advise Haiti on its tourism plans going forward. "We believe," said Riley, "that tourism is the primary economic driver of the Caribbean region. The CTO, the UNWTO, various tourism officials from Jamaica and Barbados will meet with Haitian government officials to discuss how tourism can help Haiti in terms of development and in poverty reduction."
Riley also addressed the recent controversy that arose during the recent CHTA meeting in Puerto Rico when a head tax was suggested to raise revenue for regional marketing. "The heads of government will meet in the next few weeks to discuss it," said Riley. "There's no question that an effective marketing campaign improves business. We all know there's no way to market without money." For more information, visit www.onecaribbean.org.
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