CARIBBEAN WEEK CANADA OPENS WITH SPIRITED CHURCH SERVICE AT DESTINY & DOMINION WORD MINISTRIES IN TORONTO
(TORONTO, ON,) 15 Nov 2015 – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) today launched Caribbean Week Canada during a spirited and spirit-filled service at Destiny &c Dominion Word Ministries.
Senior pastor Rev. Marcus Martinez, a Trinidad and Tobago native, and the congregation welcomed members of the Caribbean diplomatic corps and senior tourism officials, including CTO secretary general Hugh Riley and representatives of the national tourist offices from CTO member countries to the two-hour long service of praise and thanksgiving.
“We’ve heard just wonderful testimonies about the Caribbean from the congregation and visitors today; people are really enthused and want to go and visit the Caribbean. All the team from the CTO made today a phenomenal day and we pray the blessings upon this week as you continue to spread the good news about coming to the Caribbean,” Rev. Martinez said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Riley described the service as a great way to launch Caribbean Week, stressing the energy and the “welcoming environment” from the over 50 nationalities who attend the church.
“It was a great welcoming environment to talk about the Caribbean to members of the Caribbean Diaspora and people within their sphere of influence,” he said.
.Caribbean Week Canada continues on Monday with a networking luncheon with the Industry’s Who’s Who at which senior research associate at the Canadian Tourism Research Institute Jennifer Hendry will reveal the factors influencing Canadians’ travel plans for winter 2015-16 and the percentage of those who intend to travel to the Caribbean. A number of well-known personalities will attend this event, among them Cameron Bailey, artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival; entertainment lawyers Layth Gafoor and Jason Bogle; Jamaal Magloire of the Toronto Raptors; Warren Salmon of First Fridays; Canadian publicist and director of F-You: The Forgiveness Project, Tara Muldoon and Cian Knights, community engagement specialist.
The CTO will engage the Caribbean Diaspora at a Forum on Monday evening followed by a series of media events on Tuesday, culminating with a Caribbean Tourism Awards at which the winners of the CTO Caribbean Travel Media Awards will be announced. Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines will also be honoured at this event for their decades of service to the Caribbean.
Caribbean Week Canada will conclude with first-time visits to Kitchener/Waterloo and Burlington, Ontario, where member countries and partners will take the Caribbean message to travel agents on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November.
Caribbean Week Canada is supported by Air Canada Vacations, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Caribbean Airlines, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Hibiscus International, Jamaica, Kalinago Beach Resort (Grenada), Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, The Atrebor Group, Transat Tours Canada, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos.
About the Caribbean Tourism Organization
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of the region’s finest countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.
Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology.
In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development entity dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide.
THE BEST OF CARIBBEAN TRAVEL JOURNALISM IN CANADA TO BE RECOGNIZED AT CARIBBEAN WEEK CANADA
~ CTO to present awards to top travel writers and photographers for outstanding coverage of the Caribbean ~
TORONTO, ON, 15 Nov, 2015 – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will recognize Canadian travel journalists for their outstanding coverage of the region at the CTO’s Caribbean Tourism Awards Luncheon at Rosewater, 19 Toronto Street, Toronto on Tuesday 17 November during Caribbean Week Canada.
Awards will be presented in eight categories, including the Best of the Best – the top entry among the winning submissions – for work produced in 2014.
The CTO received some 70 submissions for this year’s awards. The winners will be revealed at Tuesday’s luncheon.
The following are the categories and the finalists:
Been There, Wrote That – Best Feature Article In A Consumer Magazine
Jo Matayas– Living in the Past (Nevis) – Doctor’s Review
David McGimpsey– The Non-Connoisseur’s Caribbean (Martinique)– En Route
Tim Johnson – In Praise of Beans (Jamaica) – Readers Digest Canada-
I Couldn’t Have Written Better Myself – Best Feature In A Consumer Newspaper
Violaine Ballivy – L’abecedaire de la Jamaïque – La Presse
Hélène Clément – St-Pierre Ressuscitée (Martinique)- Le Devoir
Susan Campbell- Maybe there is something in the Water (Dominica)– Globe and Mail
Inner Circle King/Queen– Best Feature Article In A Trade Publication
Ilona Kauremszky- A New St. Kitts- Travel Industry Today
Ilona Kauremszky– Havana Still Enthralls/More than sunshine and beaches- Travel Industry Today
Virtual Visitor Award – Best Online Feature
Susan Campbell – Getting wet on vacation (Dominica)– Globe & Mail
Jim Byers – St. Lucia: Romance is a Caribbean cocktail of flowers, sea breeze – The Star
Amy Rosen – A resolution to run is easy to keep (Jamaica) – National Post
Not Lost in Translation (Best Feature by Canadian Journalist that appeared in Foreign Media)
Mark Stevens – Martinique: The Belle Island – All At Sea
Melanie Reffes – Where to sip and snack in San Juan- USA Today
Melanie Reffes – Pretty in Puerto Rico – Jax Fax
Oh Snap!– Best Photograph accompanying a feature
Sharon Matthews-Stevens- The Other Virgin Islands (St. John’s, USVI) – Canadian Yachting
Susan Campbell– Great Adventures in Grand Cayman – Luxury Report
Melanie Reffes – Sipping and Snacking in San Juan – USA Today
