By Weekly News Reporter
The Turks and Caicos Islands will host the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the
Industry Conference (SOTIC) from October 8-14, 2023.
The State of the Industry Conference is CTO’s annual event, where Caribbean Tourism
practitioners, policymakers and strategic partners gather to discuss issues, derive solutions and
generally develop a course of action that will benefit the tourism industry in their respective
countries and by extension the Caribbean.
Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming, Hon Josephine Connolly,
who is also the Vice Chairman for the British Overseas Territories on the CTO’s Board of
Directors, made the announcement.
It was made during the 81st Meeting of the CTO’s Council of Ministers held on February 9,
2023, in Curacao.
Connolly who led a delegation to the meeting said: “I am pleased to host this premier
conference in no other place than the Turks and Caicos Islands, where we will gather to not
only discuss issues affecting the tourism industry, trends and best practices but where major
networking will take place, it is important that we gather as a region along with industry
partners to strengthen links and position the entire Caribbean for further growth and
development.”
The Minster’s delegation included Acting Director of Tourism, Ms Mary Lightbourne, Mrs Clara
Gardiner, OBE, recently appointed Chair of the Tourist Board and Personal Assistant to Minister
Connolly, Ms Leandra Missick.
The CTO’s Tourism Ministerial Council is a governance body that meets regularly and is
comprised of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism, Secretaries of State for Tourism and
representatives of the highest policy-making body in the organisation.
The meeting, chaired by CTO Council of Minister Chairman, Hon Kenneth Bryan of the Cayman
Islands Government focused on approving work plans, budgets and strategic proposals for the
organisation.
Hon Connolly currently serves on the CTO’s Executive Committee as the Vice Chairman for the
British Overseas Territories.
The CTO’s 81st Council of Ministers meeting concluded on Sunday, February 12.
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