BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (10 Sept, 2012) – Representatives of Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) member countries in Toronto, as well as private sector partners in Canada’s financial capital, will be exposed to the secrets of the Canadian winter travel market and what it takes to benefit from this market.
The CTO, the region’s tourism development agency, has organized a workshop to help National Tourist Offices and representatives of the travel industry’s private sector maximize the potential of one of the leading travel markets in the western world.
The workshop, The All-inclusive on Steroids, will take participants through the evolution of Canada’s winter leisure travel market from a seven day all-inclusive sun package to one that is more interested travel experiences. It will be conducted by the experience travel analyst and researcher, David Redekop, whose research is focused on the Canadian outbound leisure travel market. He conducts bi-monthly travel intentions surveys and collects a wide variety of statistics on travel by Canadians each month from more than 60 destinations around the world.
“Canada’s outbound travel market continues to outpace leisure travel markets in most countries in the western world,” said Redekop, who works for the Conference Board of Canada, the country’s largest private business research organization. “The Caribbean region is uniquely positioned to benefit from Canada’s expanding outbound travel market. Close proximity to the Canadian travel market, plenty of seat capacity and great weather while offering a variety of travel experiences and cultures are some of the Caribbean’s strong.”
Redekop’s reports include the monthly Outbound Canada, Winter and Summer Vacation Travel Outlooks, annual five year forecasts for the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and the US as well as other regions.
“The Caribbean region, with its varied geography, cultures and experiences is poised to benefit from Canada’s evolving travel market,” he said.
The workshop is organized by the CTO’s New York office as part of activities for Caribbean Week in Toronto. Mr. Redekop’s begins at 12:30 pm on Wednesday 24th October, and will be preceded by a workshop on social media which begins at 10:00 am. Both events will take place at the Pantages Hotel Toronto Centre, 200 Victoria Street, Toronto.
Caribbean Week in Toronto is a dynamic explosion of Caribbean life and culture in the Canada’s largest city. It celebrates the Caribbean’s vibrancy, diversity, energy and the other incomparable attributes – from its cuisine to its music to its people – wrapped up in one elegant package designed to tease the traveller to visit the region.
Other Caribbean Week in Toronto activities include:
- Caribbean Diaspora Forum: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 – 6:30 to 9:00pm
- Caribbean Media Marketplace & Awards Luncheon: Thursday, October 25, 2012 – 11:00am to 2:30pm (preceded by a Press Conference at 10:00am)
- Travel Agents Workshop (Tapping into the Lucrative Niche of Luxury Travel): Thursday October 25, 6:00 to 8:30 pm
· Rum & Rhythm Benefit: Friday, October 26, 2012 – 6:30 – 11:00pm
