Leading tourism and political leaders from across the Caribbean are preparing to gather in New York City for the 2024 iteration of Caribbean Week, a major annual industry event set to kick off on June 1, hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). The high-profile delegation bringing together top officials from multiple Caribbean jurisdictions includes Albert Bryan Jr., the elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, Dr. Natalio Wheatley, Premier of the British Virgin Islands, and Ian Gooding-Edghill, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, who also serves as the current chairman of the CTO.
The Barbados-headquartered regional tourism body confirmed that this year’s event marks the return of Caribbean Week to New York, with the timing intentionally aligned to overlap with the start of Caribbean American Heritage Month. Designed to showcase the breadth and diversity of Caribbean tourism offerings to global audiences, the 2024 gathering has been framed around the unifying theme “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences”.
In a statement ahead of the event, CTO Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper emphasized the outsize importance of New York’s Caribbean Week as a foundational platform for the regional tourism sector. “Caribbean Week in New York is a critical platform for collaboration, strategy development and celebration of our region’s tourism industry,” Regis-Prosper said. “We are delighted to welcome Governor Bryan, Premier Wheatley, Minister Gooding-Edghill and senior tourism leaders from across the Caribbean as we highlight the strength, resilience and infinite potential of our destinations.”
Ahead of the week’s full schedule of events, organizers have confirmed key speaking roles for the attending leaders. Governor Bryan, who currently serves as the ninth elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, will deliver the official opening address at the event’s opening ceremony. CTO chairman Gooding-Edghill is tapped to give the gathering’s keynote address, while Premier Wheatley will take part in a featured breakout session titled “Around the Caribbean in 60 Minutes”.
Beyond the opening remarks and keynote addresses, the full Caribbean Week agenda is packed with targeted strategic discussions focused on the most pressing issues and future opportunities for Caribbean tourism. Topics on the agenda include tourism sector leadership, next-generation destination marketing strategies, expanding and improving airlift connectivity to regional destinations, advancing more inclusive tourism practices, building long-term sustainability across the sector, and fostering innovation to power the next generation of Caribbean tourism growth.