The contribution of tourism to Bermuda's economy and aggressively promoting the island as a business and leisure destination are some of the topics of focus when the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Sen. the Hon. Owen K. Darrell, JP, attends the Caribbean Tourism Organisation's (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC).

Taking place September 2 - 6, in the Cayman Islands, this year’s theme, “Caribbean Tourism: Fuelling our Lifeblood,” will explore the industry’s evolving dynamics and highlight strategies for a sustainable, resilient future.

The SOTIC is the Caribbean’s foremost platform for addressing critical issues shaping the region’s tourism sector. It gathers a diverse array of regional and global leaders, thought leaders, decision-makers, and influencers to discuss competitiveness and sustainable growth within the industry.

While at the conference, Minister Darrell will provide an overview of Bermuda's tourism performance to date and share some of the latest visitor stats.

Minister Darrell said, “I am pleased to be representing Bermuda once again at the CTO's gathering and equally excited to be joining key industry leaders at this year’s conference. 

“Bermuda has had a brisk tourism season so far. During the SOTIC there is a comprehensive briefing for all member countries. I look forward to updating on our progress by sharing such performance led contributions as:

• An 11.4% increase in air arrivals and a 6.1% increase in business travel for the first half of the year; 
• Bermuda welcomed 234,790 cruise passengers, up 12.3% from last year for the first half of the year;
• Bermuda's yacht arrivals almost doubled, with 725 yachts visiting between January and June; and
• The fact that this latest quarter saw tourism contribute $132.3 million to the local economy.”

Also while at the meeting, Minister Darrell will meet with other regional Tourism Ministers, including the current and outgoing CTO chairman, Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands, the Hon. Kenneth Bryan.

The public will note that Mr. Bryan recently visited the island for the Bermuda Day festivities in May of this year for a regional cultural exchange. Minister Bryan is completing his term as CTO Chair, and the membership will elect a new chairman during this week's meeting.

The Minister concluded, “Valuable insights on the future of tourism investment, leveraging innovation, economic development and sustainability in the region will be discussed at these meetings, and it's beneficial that Bermuda is present. This is a great opportunity for all stakeholders to share ideas and network to find common solutions to ensure that we all thrive.”

The Minister returns to Bermuda on Thursday.