Touring The Caribbean During CTO Week

with Martha Chapman

With such wet and miserable weather in the forecast (for once the weatherman didn’t lie) it was refreshing to spend some time with members of the Caribbean Tourism Organization who came to Toronto last week.

One of their many nice bits of news is that Canadian arrivals are up – 5% year over year. And we now represent at total of 14% of all tourist arrivals to the 32 member countries of the CTO. “We never want to take advantage of that,” said Hugh Riley, the ever-congenial Secretary General of the CTO.

New from the organization is their 5 year goal: to become the “most desirable year-round warm weather destination.” And Riley is confident that can happen given the region’s welcoming sunshine, beaches, access, beaches, stability, hospitality and, “Oh, did I say beaches?”

The region is well on its way to that goal if cruise numbers are anything to go by. It’s officially the most popular cruise destination in the world, with some 20 million cruise visits per annum.

In news from individual destinations, it’s clear the Bahamas are very excited about Sunwing’s new program to Grand Bahama Island, with 3 flights weekly from YYZ to fill the 550 room Memories Grand Bahama Beach & Casino Resort. The former Our Lucaya Reef Village is scheduled to reopen in early 2013.

Grenada continues to blossom thanks to service this year from Transat, Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines – and some very exciting news that has just hit the rumour mills. Apparently Sandals Resorts is about to sign a deal to take over La Source which closed just a couple of weeks ago.

Bermuda is wearing a new tag line, “So much more than…” and targeting former College Week visitors, now presumably prosperous boomers more into wine-tasting than wet T shirt contests!

All in all a lovely day of good news and hospitality from our (literally) fair weather friends in the Caribbean. Now all we need is a foot or 2 of snow!