By;Betty Coker, Editor in Chief  For World Liberty TV

New for Caribbean Week New York, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has added a RUM Rumble during Caribbean Media Marketplace (Thursday, June 8) where more than 125 journalists, as well as tourism officials and industry executives,  witnessed  the best-of-the-best Caribbean rum-mixing masters compete for the title of Caribbean Week Mixologist of the Year. The Caribbean Week Mixologist of the Year was  announced at the RUM & Rhythm Benefit where the Rum Rumble finalists  debuted their winning cocktails.

Returning by popular demand wass the Trade Show and Educational FoRUM for Travel Agents following a brief hiatus last year. Themed “Selling the Romantic Caribbean,” more than 150 qualified travel agents from databases of the top-producing tour operators for Caribbean travel have registered for the event, exceeding the initial target of 120. The highly anticipated event  gave  suppliers and destination representatives the opportunity to highlight what is special about their product and share relevant information, tips and trends with travel agents who work with leading tour operators.

Ministers and Directors of Tourism  once again have the opportunity to take advantage of the annual Media Marketplace where more than 125 travel writers and qualified journalists  discover new products and initiatives while interacting with various Caribbean partner representatives who  assisted  in communicating the allure and value of Caribbean vacations with a view to dRUMming up business for the upcoming winter season. In addition, the new television interview room established last year for interviews with Ministers and Directors of Tourism will be repeated with additional TV outlets from North America and the Caribbean.

Caribbean Week New York is the largest regional tourism activity in the New York area. Artists, performers, celebrity chefs, investors and other strategic partners join government officials and the media as all converge on New York for a week that showcases the diversity and vibrancy of the region.

Ministers of Tourism, Directors of Tourism, National Tourist Office representatives and other key tourism and hospitality officials from the around the Caribbean,  came together for meetings, seminars and celebrations.

Caribbean Week is highlighted with a cultural celebration at the Rum & Rhythm Benefit and Auction – the Ultimate Caribbean Epicurean Experience –, which  returned  to the prestigious Capitale in New York City.

Caribbean Week New York is supported by: Academy Engraving, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Anse Chastanet & Jade Mountain Saint Lucia, Arrivalist, The Atrebor Group, Islands of The Bahamas, Barbados, Caribbean Airlines, Castles in Paradise Villa Resort – Saint Lucia, Cayman Islands, Cholula Food Company, Cititech Solutions, Delta Air Lines, Dominica, FlightCentre, Grenada, Grace Foods, Guyana, Jamaica, Laura Davidson Public Relations, Martinique, Montserrat, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, Nevis, Pleasant Holidays, Questex, Saint Lucia, St. Martin, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Spice Island Beach Resort, Sugar Beach-A Viceroy Resort, TripAdvisor, Island of Tobago, Tower Isle Patties, Travel Impressions, Travel + Leisure, Trinidad, and Turks & Caicos Islands.

About the Caribbean Tourism Organization: The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of the region’s finest countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology.

In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development entity dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide.

See more Caribbean Tourist Organizations events in New York City -2017 in our World Liberty TV Travel and Tourism Channels by clicking here.