Christopher Khoo
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 1 July, 2015 – The region’s tourism development agency is seeking to stimulate new ideas and fresh thinking aimed at re-inventing the Caribbean tourism product. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has organized a regional four-day workshop to, among other objectives, provide opportunities for participants to maximize their knowledge through learning about international/global best practices in tourism product development.
“The overall quality of the visitor experience is influenced by the diversity and quality of tourism products and services being offered by the destination. The Caribbean’s tourism market share and overall competitiveness is gradually being eroded as the perception is that the region’s tourism product is jaded and needs an injection of investment to introduce new products and services, and re-fresh existing products that can excite today’s customer,” said Bonita Morgan, the CTO’s director of resource mobilization and development.
Using Singapore’s model for tourism product development as the case study, the workshop will focus on key principles, including the tourism experience and the role of planning in tourism; fundamentals and principles of tourism product development and the tourism destination and its products.
Dubbed, Developing Viable and Sustainable Tourism Products: The Singapore Model, the workshop will be facilitated by Christopher Khoo, the senior tourism consultant at International Business Dynamics (iBusiness), a training and consultancy firm that specializes in trade and economic development, investment promotion and tourism development.
The four day workshop is being organized in partnership with the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association and will be held from 13-16 July at the Radisson Aquatica Resort in Barbados. It will be followed by a half-day tourism forum on The Singapore Tourism Experience on Friday 17 July, at which participants will be introduced to best practices in the South-East Asian island city-state.
“Singapore offers one of the best business environments in the world and is fast emerging as a choice destination for the development of iconic tourist attractions. It also offers a dynamic tourism landscape and is constantly evolving to stay compelling and remain relevant as a tourist destination,” said Ms. Morgan. “This forum offers an ideal occasion for sharing, learning and discussion among all tourism industry stakeholders.”
This forum will examine six main areas relating to Singapore’s strategic approach to tourism. These include planning and development, product development, partnerships, investment and financing, marketing and education and training.
The programme also includes informative and thought-provoking discussions from a panel of tourism experts, led by the CTO’s secretary general, Hugh Riley.
