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UWI, St. Augustine Captures Top Honors at CTO’s Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase

NEW YORK, NY (June 16, 2025) — Innovation, cultural pride and next-level creativity took center stage as the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) concluded its 2025 Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase 2025, crowning the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus as the winning team during the finals held during Caribbean Week in New York (CWNY 2025).

Launched to foster bold thinking and cross-sector collaboration in tourism, the Showcase challenged student teams from across the region to develop sustainable business proposals under the theme: “Innovative Tourism: Bridging Sectors for Sustainable Growth.”

Finalists explored cutting-edge concepts in Agri-Edu Tourism, Medical Cannabis, and Dark Tourism, aiming to connect tourism with agriculture, health and heritage in ways that support resilience and regional development.

Hosted by Nicolas Scott, Technical Assistant in CTO’s Resource Mobilization & Development department, the final round featured presentations from three exceptional university teams representing Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Cayman Islands:

• University of the West Indies, Mona
• University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
• University College of the Cayman Islands

The winning proposal, Healing Roots, developed by UWI St. Augustine, captivated the audience and judges with a high-energy, theatrical presentation that blended music, spoken word, and immersive storytelling. The concept centered on an agri-wellness tourism model rooted in the hills of Paramin, Trinidad, showcasing how bush medicine, ancestral knowledge, and community empowerment can transform tourism into a tool for economic growth, cultural preservation, and wellness tourism. With its engaging performance and interactive approach, the team delivered an experience that was both moving and memorable — earning them top honors and thunderous applause.

“This was more than a competition — it was a demonstration of vision, courage and Caribbean ingenuity,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General and CEO of CTO. “Our region’s future is in capable hands. These students are not just dreamers — they are builders of a more innovative and sustainable Caribbean.”

Owen Darrell, Minister of Tourism for Bermuda, delivered the opening remarks, calling the Showcase “a launching pad for innovation and opportunity,” and commended the participating students for their bold ideas and commitment to regional progress.

Words of inspiration were delivered by Jameel Rochester, Director of Tourism for Anguilla, who shared his compelling journey “from barbecue grills to boardrooms”. Reflecting on his early days cleaning grills after school to becoming the youngest person to lead Anguilla’s tourism board, Rochester encouraged young people to embrace their purpose, seek mentorship, and remain open to new opportunities.

A distinguished panel of judges evaluated the finalists, including:

• Claudine Pohl, CEO, Lemoneight
• Jacqueline Johnson, President & CEO, Global Bridal Group / MarryCaribbean.com; Chairman, CTO Foundation
• Louis Lewis, CEO, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority
• Muryad de Bruin, Director of Tourism, Curaçao
• Maya Nottage, Regional Marketing Director, Nassau Cruise Port Ltd.

The top team was awarded a US $5,000 prize, generously provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In a welcome message, Carina Cockburn, IDB’s Country Representative for Barbados, said: “At the IDB, we believe that investing in young talent and supporting platforms like this competition is critical to shaping a tourism sector that is more resilient, inclusive and sustainable. That’s why we were proud to collaborate with the CTO in offering this year’s winning prize because we don’t just see you as the leaders of tomorrow, but as leaders of today, bringing fresh ideas and energy to the future of Caribbean tourism.”

CTO extended its thanks to event partners and contributors, including Breeze Travel Solutions, Caribbean Airlines, Lemoneight, Travel Unity, New York City Tourism + Conventions, RWS Global, and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, whose support was instrumental in making the Showcase and the group’s activities a success.

CWNY 2025 was supported by the following sponsors:

• Platinum: Dominica, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Gold: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bermuda, Global Ports Holding, Travel & Adventure Shows
• Silver: Sandals Resorts International, St. Kitts
• Bronze: Adara, A RateGain Company; Anguilla; Barbados; Carnival Corporation & plc; Saint Lucia; TEMPO Networks

Caribbean Tourism Maintains Strong Growth in 2024, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels

BARBADOS (April 28, 2025) – The Caribbean tourism sector continued its robust recovery and expansion in 2024, with international tourist arrivals reaching an estimated 34.2 million, according to a new report from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). This represents a 6.1% increase compared to 2023, and a 6.9% rise above pre-pandemic levels, marking the second consecutive year that the region has outperformed the 2019 benchmark.

The CTO’s “Caribbean Tourism Performance Review 2024” highlights the region’s resilience and enduring appeal, driven by factors such as strong demand from the United States, a rebounding Canadian market, and enhanced air connectivity.

Key Highlights from the Report:

• Overall growth: The Caribbean saw approximately 34.2 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in 2024, an increase of 6.1% over 2023 and 6.9% over 2019.
• Top arrivals: The Dominican Republic remained the Caribbean’s most visited destination in 2024, welcoming 8.5 million tourists. Jamaica followed with 2.9 million arrivals, while Cuba (2.2 million), The Bahamas (1.9 million), Aruba (1.4 million), and Puerto Rico (1.0 million) reported top numbers. Collectively, these six destinations accounted for approximately 56 percent of all visitor arrivals to the region.
• YOY growth: The highest year-over-year growth in tourist arrivals was recorded in Montserrat, which saw a 29.4 percent increase, followed by St. Vincent & the Grenadines (27.2 percent), Belize (22.8 percent), and Curaçao (20.3 percent). These destinations posted the strongest relative gains in visitor numbers across the Caribbean in 2024.
• Pre-pandemic growth: Compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, Curaçao emerged as the best-performing destination with a 51.1 percent increase, followed by St. Maarten with 48 percent growth, and 41.8 percent in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Source Markets:

• The United States remained the top source market, with approximately 16.8 million arrivals, a 3.5% increase from 2023 and 7.9% above pre-pandemic levels.
• Canadian arrivals reached 3.3 million, a 4.0% increase compared to 2023, though still slightly below 2019 levels.
• European arrivals showed slower growth, with a 1.4% increase to 5.3 million, representing 89.4% of 2019 levels.
• Driven by ongoing efforts to enhance air connectivity and services across the region, intra-Caribbean travel experienced growth in 2024. Residents of the Caribbean took an estimated 1.6 million tourist trips within the region – an increase of 5.1% over 2023, though still only 79.2% of pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
• The South American market saw the highest growth in 2024, with arrivals reaching 2.0 million by the end of the year, marking a 17.8% increase. This sustained growth led to a 19.7% rise compared to 2019’s arrivals. Improved political and economic stability, along with strong travel demand in key markets like Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, contributed to these results.
• Cruise Sector: The Caribbean cruise industry experienced a significant rebound, with 33.7 million cruise visits in 2024, a 10.3% increase over 2023, and a 10.9% increase over pre-pandemic levels.

Hotel Sector
The Caribbean hotel sector also performed strongly, with occupancy rates reaching 66.6%, a 0.8% increase from the previous year, and the Average Daily Rate (ADR) increasing by 4.2% to US$437.02.

Challenges and Outlook:

“Tourism in the Caribbean is expected to continue growing in 2025. However, due to prevailing economic uncertainties and slowdowns in major source markets during the first quarter of the year, the pace of growth is projected to be more moderate than earlier forecasts suggested,” said Aliyyah Shakeer, CTO’s Director of Research. CTO now anticipates that overnight visitor arrivals will increase by 2% to 5%, reaching approximately 35 million. The outlook for the cruise sector remains positive, with cruise arrivals expected to grow by 5% to 7%, approaching 36 million visitors.

“The Caribbean’s continued growth is a testament to the strength of our regional collaboration and the enduring appeal of our destinations,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

“Despite geopolitical uncertainty and global economic challenges, our sector has shown remarkable resilience. To maintain this momentum, we must double down on strategic investments, innovative partnerships, and sustainable practices that protect our people, our culture and our environment. The future of Caribbean tourism is not only bright – it is ours to shape,” she added.