Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Sen. the Hon. Owen K. Darrell, JP, recently attended Caribbean Week hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) in New York from June 16 - 21, 2024. 

This year’s event at the InterContinental New York Times Square, marked the organisation's 35th anniversary. It brought together the region's finest tourism representatives and industry leaders under the theme “Connecting the Globe, Celebrating Diversity.”

During the week, Minister Darrell met with several regional leaders, highlighting the significant strides the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) has made to market the island internationally. These discussions included engaging conversations on the airline and cruise industry developments. 

Minister Darrell participated in the Annual General Meeting of the Minister’s Council with Caribbean member representatives of Ministers of Tourism. 

As part of this dynamic week of events, the Minister attended the “Caribbean Tourism: Shaping the Future” business and tourism marketing symposium to learn about the latest market trends directing the region. 

There was also a forum focused on the industry’s trajectory with respect to leveraging the use of artificial intelligence in tourism marketing.  The Minister’s forum with panel speakers leading in-depth discussions under the theme Leveraging Artificial Intelligence presented dynamic presentations lead by Lee Hall, Founder of Clarity Media, I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister of Tourism in The Bahamas, Edward Bartlett, the Minister for Tourism in Jamaica and CTO chairman and Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands, Kenneth Bryan. 

Mr. Bryan recently visited the island for Bermuda Day festivities in May of this year for a regional cultural exchange. As part of the cultural exchange, the Hon. Samal Duggins, Minister of the Creative Economy, Entertainment, and the Arts of St. Kitt’s and Nevis and Mr. Bryan attended Bermuda Day events including the parade to experience this year's Heritage Month celebrations and tour of the island. 

Minister Darrell commented, “Bermuda’s relationship with the CTO is integral to our tourism development. We collaborate and share ways to move forward together as leading regional destinations. We accomplish far more together than we can apart. I am encouraged by the level of engagement between ministers and tourism commissioners at industry conferences, including the CTO’s flagship event, which builds investor confidence in our tourism product in the long run. 

“The future of tourism for Bermuda is bright. We expect accelerated growth in visitor arrivals and the development of engaging tourism products on the island to cater to a diverse range of travelers.” 

According to the CTO, the week-long events also included the Caribbean Marketplace, the return of the Caribbean Media Awards, and a special cricket ceremony and watch party celebrating the region’s role as host of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, which began this month.