— Appointment follows extensive search & thorough selection process—

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Aug 17, 2009) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced the appointment of a new Secretary General.  He is Barbadian Hugh Riley who has been the organization’s Interim Secretary General for the past several months. 

In making the announcement the CTO’s Chairman, Hon. John Maginley, who is Minister of Tourism for Antigua & Barbuda, described Mr. Riley as an experienced Caribbean tourism professional with a clear vision of how to move the tourism sector forward.

“I am pleased to announce that after an extensive search and a thorough selection process, the CTO Council of Ministers has offered Mr. Riley the position of Secretary General and he has accepted,” Minister Maginley said.

“Mr. Riley has an intimate knowledge of the tourism industry and a sound strategic vision for what the region’s tourism sector needs in order to remain competitive and to thrive, particularly in these trying times.  We are confident that he is up to the challenge,” Chairman Maginley added.

Mr. Riley’s appointment takes effect from August 17^th.  As the organization’s chief executive officer he will oversee the CTO’s offices in Barbados, North America, the UK and Europe, succeeding the late Arley Sobers and the Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace. He will also lead the organization’s initiatives to strengthen relations with our strategic partners, including the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).

CTO, as the region’s tourism development agency, provides research, human resources, marketing, communications and technology services internationally to its public and private sector members.  CTO has been in the forefront of recent efforts to interface with the governments of the US and UK on a range of issues affecting Caribbean tourism.

 

About the Caribbean Tourism Organization

 

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with the headquarters in Barbados and marketing operations in New York, London and Toronto, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency and comprises membership of over 30 governments and a myriad of private sector entities.

 

The CTO’s mission is to provide to and through its members, the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.

 

The organization provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, information technology and sustainable tourism development.  The CTO disseminates information on behalf of its member governments to consumers and the travel trade.