PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, (CMC) – Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Kenneth Bryan on Wednesday cautioned regional tourism leaders of the need to do things differently if the Caribbean is to maintain its competitive edge and remain as one of the fastest growing tourism regions in the world.

Addressing the opening of the two-day 2023 State of the Industry conference in Turks and Caicos, Bryan said that among the adjustments required was the need to embrace technological advancements, adopt sustainable practices, recognise trends and behavioural swings, and become masters of social media.

“And there’s also the need to even being willing to leverage artificial intelligence and green infrastructure, to enhance the tourism experience,” he said.

“This is where I see innovation playing a key role in the development of our tourism products, and in the ways in which we promote ourselves to travellers seeking unique, authentic and bespoke…experiences,” added Bryan, who is also tourism minister in the Cayman Islands.

Noting that the word “experiences” was being used more and more as a synonym for tourism, he told the audience “that what tourism is, that’s what each of us involved in the industry is selling, an experience of our islands, our cultures, our food, our people.”

Bryan reminded delegates that tourists do not travel because they want to fly on a plane or stay in a hotel but instead are in need of an experience.

“This means that our jobs as practitioners and stakeholders in tourism is not just to entice them through marketing and advertising to visit our shores but to inspire them to come back time and time again,” the CTO chairman said.

He said that one of the most effective ways to do that is by inspiring young people, the next generation of leaders, managers, business owners and entrepreneurs, to pursue careers in tourism.

The organisers said the two-day conference offers “a robust and insightful agenda,” which includes presentations and panel discussions that examine the intricacies of tourism investment and financing in the Caribbean, which they describe as being of paramount importance for this region’s growth and sustainability.

They said that the event held under the theme “Invest, Innovate and Inspire” will seek to explore the current challenges and opportunities within the dynamic tourism landscape.