Each year, Caribbean Week — the largest regional tourism event in New York — is filled with events for both the tourism industry and consumers. The most important objectives of the celebration are:
• Meetings and the business of Caribbean Tourism
• Engaging the Caribbean Diaspora
• Providing a platform for sales of Caribbean vacations
• Creating an opportunity for member countries to take advantage of the spotlight on the region
At a press conference on Thursday, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) released the year-to-date Caribbean tourism numbers — and things are looking good. There has been rapid growth in arrivals in the first quarter of 2015, up 6 percent over 2014 and it’s the fifth consecutive year of growth. The region also hit a historical high for hotel occupancy in the 1st quarter: 77.8 percent. Both investment in the region and cruise arrivals are up as well.
But growth in and of itself is not the aim — the region needs sustainable growth, in both the ecosystem and economics. Nine Caribbean countries are now part of the Sustainable Destinations Alliance for the Americas, a global NGO and public/private sector partnership, focusing on maintaining and restoring the region’s natural, cultural and economic integrity. Each country faces different challenges and the Alliance’s regionalized approach to problem-solving will be key.
Plenty of Caribbean cuisine was available throughout the week. The Caribbean Chef Program hosted tastings, demonstrations and cooking classes at locations around the city including Williams-Sonoma and Bloomingdales. The Rum and Rhythm Benefit and Auction offered a wide array of culinary offerings to attendees at Tribeca Three-Sixty.
Of course, this year the Caribbean country on everyone’s mind is Cuba. However for most of the world Cuba tourism is not a new thing. Cuba has enjoyed strong arrivals from Canada and Europe for many years. Now Americans are keen to visit, and while there is still time needed for adjustment, any CTO member country attracting new visitors is a good thing for the entire region. Jet Blue is expanding its flight offerings within the region including a charter flight from New York to Havana, as well as new routes to Antigua and Barabados.
Caribbean Tourism Organization, www.onecaribbean.org
Caribbean Week in New York, www.caribbeanweek.com