BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The newly-elected Allied Board of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), has underscored its commitment to helping reimagine and rebuild the region’s tourism product, in the wake of the fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

This follows the CTO business meetings held in the Cayman Islands earlier this month, where William “Billy” Griffith was re-elected chairman, as one of four directors who will serve another two-year term on the five member allied board.

He will be joined by returning members, Barry Brown of AFAR Media; Seleni Mateus of George Washington University and Jacqueline Johnson of Global Bridal Group/ MarryCaribbean.com .

The new face on the Allied Board is Anne Brobyn, the founder/president of Hibiscus International Tours.

“The Caribbean Tourism Organization is now at an inflection point whilst reimagining and adapting its business model,” Griffith said.

“I believe I can also contribute greatly in forging a more cohesive partnership between the private and public sector, raise the profile of the Allied members and assist significantly in increasing its membership base.”

Brobyn, who brings the experience of being a former employee and marketing representative for the CTO, said the Caribbean’s emergence from the cornavirus pandemic called for “creative thinking and strategic development”.

The time is right for change and through the CTO Allied Board of Directors, we have a voice to reach the decision and policy makers within the Caribbean region,” said Brobyn, also an award-winning travel expert.

“Together, we must find responsible and sustainable solutions to address the critical issues which impact tourism throughout the Caribbean and beyond.”

Brown, AFAR Media’s executive director for the Caribbean, added: “I believe the diverse expertise and insight of Allied membership is more critical now than ever to help refuel a robust and sustainable rebound of tourism after the crises of the past few years.”

Matus, a former Belize director of tourism who now serves as executive director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies at George Washington University, said: “I am thrilled to work with affiliates to create a more sustainable tourism industry in the Caribbean by leveraging the strengths of the affiliate network.”

Johnson, meanwhile, said she was ready for the challenge of “developing marketing and communication strategies for a completely different marketplace”.

“We live in an age of continuing and continuous change – an evolutionary process that is the key to survival in a dynamic marketplace,” she noted.

The new Allied Board, elected from among 10 members representing sectors ranging from health care to marketing, will sit on the recently elected CTO Board of Directors while Chairman Griffith also joins the CTO Executive Committee. Together, the Allied Board will represent the interests of the Allied Members at the CTO Board and Executive Committee level.

In consultation with its membership, the Allied Board identifies opportunities aimed at enhancing CTO’s non-government membership programme, organises activities during CTO events, and also offers recommendations to the CTO Board of Directors on regional tourism initiatives.

Allied members are non-government members representing several sectors which play key roles in the development of regional tourism.