Caribbean News Now!

BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- The US Virgin Islands (USVI) has been elected as chair of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) with Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty’s election at the CTO’s annual general meeting in St Kitts on Wednesday night.

Nicholson-Doty, who was elected unopposed, will replace Sen. Ricky Skerritt as chairman of the CTO Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism.

In keeping with the CTO constitution, Deputy Commissioner Chantal Figueroa has been appointed by Nicholson-Doty to head the CTO Board of Directors.

Five vice chairs were also elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. They are St Maarten, representing the Dutch Caribbean; Martinique representing the French Caribbean; St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, representing the Caribbean Community countries and Bermuda representing the British Overseas Territories. Each of these member countries will form the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, which will be completed with representatives from the private sector.

"It is with great humility that I accept this vote of confidence in me and in the US Virgin Islands from the CTO Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism. I look forward to continuing the hard work of outgoing chairman Senator Richard Skerritt of St Kitts and Nevis and collaborating with each of the Caribbean's nations and territories to advance marketing, product and human development efforts through coordinated regional approaches,” Nicholson-Doty said Wednesday night.

She added that we must continue to plan strategically and act collectively across the public and private sectors and at the community level to ensure the continued dynamism and strengthened resilience of the Caribbean tourism product.

USVI Governor John de Jongh congratulated his tourism commissioner on her unopposed election. "Beverly's election to this post comes at a time when all Caribbean islands, nations and territories must work together for Caribbean tourism to remain viable. Our tourism products are common as are our needs and concerns."

De Jongh said it is apparent that for Caribbean tourism to remain viable against the backdrop of a changing world economy, our tourism products must be redefined, repackaged and updated to remain competitive. "Commissioner Nicholson-Doty breadth of experience in this industry will be evident as she works with her fellow ministers on the CTO to advance new marketing and development strategies to strengthen tourism in the Caribbean region.

The Wednesday vote was in keeping with the CTO constitution which mandates that elections must be held every two years.

Reads: 1428


Tweet