MARIGOT--The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) will organise its inaugural State of the Industry Conference on St. Martin this coming September 14-17, CTO General Secretary Hugh Riley announced at a press conference here Thursday.
"This is an extremely proud moment in the history of the CTO," explained Riley. "Having the conference here will demonstrate to the world through traditional and social media what collaboration and creativity can produce.
"It will give residents on French and Dutch sides a chance to realise just how much the rest of us admires you for what you have achieved, and it will allow us to create a forum for some of our industry's sharpest minds to analyse the factors that influence our industry," Riley added.
The CTO General Secretary said the programme for the conference is still in the planning stages. He estimated about 300 delegates would attend but it was too early to divulge the names of speakers and of the keynote speaker, or issues to be discussed.
St. Martin Tourism Office President Ida Zin Ka Ieu said she was delighted the CTO had accepted the invitation from St. Martin to host the conference. In scouting possible locations CTO looked at Aruba, the Virgin Islands, and French St. Martin.
She indicated the main venue for the conference has been "selected but not finalised" and she stressed the event is not just for the French side but both sides will benefit from the economic spin off in a low season month.
Tourism Office Director Sylviane John concurred, saying it was a unique opportunity "to showcase the best the island has to offer" to the attending media and travel agents.
Organisation and details of the event still have to be finalised in the coming weeks by the tourism office. Some of the activities, meetings, dinners, and conferences associated with the event will be held on the Dutch side, Zin Ka Ieu added.
The tourism office budget for holding the conference was not disclosed.
Present at the conference were St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Head of Marketing Edward Dest and Product Development Assistant Lisa No�l. It was not clear what the Dutch side's tourism office's involvement is, if any, with the event, or the involvement of Dutch side companies.
Riley said collaboration between all the elements of the 37 square mile island will be very important to ensure success.
"You know what your local logistics and resources are. The people attending won't be as familiar as you are over the significance of crossing the border. It's important your island illustrates the creativity and excellence that the rest of the world looks for. It will be unique...and the combination of skills and resources you put together will deliver a conference quite unlike Jamaica, Bahamas, or anyone else could have."
Riley noted the Caribbean as a whole runs at a six per cent increase in arrivals over last year but revenues continue to lag behind previous years.
He added French St. Martin was elected last year at the leadership strategy conference to be the Vice Chair of the French speaking group on the Executive Council of the CTO.
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