CARIBBEAN-TOURISM-Regional tourism officials meeting in Turks and Caicos Islands.

hairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Kenneth Bryan, 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 he said that among the adjustments required was the need to embrace technological advancements, adopting sustainable practices, recognizing trends and behavioural swings, and becoming masters of social media.

Kenneth Bryan

'And there's also the need to even being willing to leverage artificial intelligence and green infrastructure, to enhance the tourism experience.

'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 travelers seeking unique, authentic and bespoke...experiences,' said 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, bit 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...