On Course For A Good Winter

Top Caribbean tourism types gathered in Toronto yesterday (Sept. 23) to offer the trade an update on some of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) efforts and to give everyone a little taste of one of the Caribbean’s top exports – rum. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

CTO director, Sylma Brown Bramble was on hand to support the CTO’s initiative here in Canada, telling Press Today that tourism in the region is doing well, observing: “The Caribbean is keeping pace with the rest of the world and with its forecasts.”

Brown Bramble told PT that the region was looking at gains of between 4.5% and 5% for the 2014-2015 winter season, with gains in the 4.6% range right now.

Here in Canada, Brown Bramble said she was pleased with the way things were going, observing that her current visit was to help drum up support for a couple of major events that the CTO was holding here in October.

For the first time, the region will hold a Caribbean Investment Forum. That event is set for Oct. 29 at Malaparte at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in downtown Toronto. The day-long event will offer Canadian investors and Caribbean businesses a chance to meet in a business-to-business environment to determine the kind of investment opportunities that are available.

On Oct. 30 at Ripley’s Aquarium, the CTO will host its annul Rum & Rhythm event, dubbed by organizers as “The Ultimate Caribbean Cultural Experience.”

The event is also an opportunity for the CTO to raise funds for a variety of initiatives that are on going in the Caribbean.

One of those initiatives is the Sick Kids Caribbean Initiative for pediatric cancers and blood disorders that is designed to address gaps in research, care and education in the region. Right now, the initiative is in place in Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and St. Lucia. Definitely a worth cause.

Seen in photo, from l to r, are Anne Brobyn of Hibiscus International; Dr. Victor Blanchette, McCaig Magee Family Medical Director, Sick Kids-Caribbean Initiative; Sylma Brown Bramble, director, Caribbean Tourism Organization; and Colin Hennigar, associate director, major gifts, Sick Kids Foundation.

For more go to http://OneCaribbean.org .