CARIBBEAN TOURISM DAY MESSAGE
HUGH RILEY, SECRETARY GENERAL & CEO
CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION
2nd NOVEMBER, 2010
It is with one voice that we honor today, all that binds us together as one Caribbean, and everything that makes our region the world’s most desirable tourism destination. It is as one Caribbean tourism family that we recognize our diversity, and savor the near perfect blend of vibrant cultures that make for a unique vacation experience. It is as One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean that we observe Caribbean Tourism Day today, focusing on the strength of the Caribbean brand.
The Caribbean brand is a unifying force. It celebrates the many facets of our four language groups and our range of cultural influences, while highlighting the elements that unite us. That’s what we mean when we speak of One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.
As the global voice of 33 countries, the Caribbean Tourism Organization will continue to lead the charge to ensure that the brand transmits the excitement of this region and that it remains stable and strong.
It is the stability of the brand that keeps the Caribbean on the minds of potential travellers and provides confidence in times of economic uncertainty. It is the strength of the brand that delivers the promise of high quality and genuinely warm hospitality. It’s the sustainability of the brand that attracts visitors back to our shores time and again, assuring them of a unique and special vacation experience.
This year, after a difficult 2009, we are beginning to see some improvement in the industry’s overall performance globally and here in the Caribbean; and we predict that trend to continue, despite the challenges that still lie ahead.
So as we celebrate Caribbean Tourism Day together with our partners in the public and private sectors, our visitors who are with us during this period and our well-wishers wherever they may be, we take pride in our region’s common bond as One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.