BAHAMAS DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TOURISM LEADS DELEGATION AT CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION WEEK IN NEW YORK

Pictured at the Caribbean Tourism Awards Dinner during the CTO Week in NYC 2019 is The Bahamas Tourist Office New York’s Team with Director General Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Joy Jibrilu. From Left to right: Valery Brown-Alce, Sr. Director Marketing; Jeff Rodgers, Manager Sports Tourism Marketing; Mikala Moss, Area Manager, New York; DG Jibrilu; Ebianna Smith, Senior Executive; Chrystal Bethell, Marketing Co-ordinator; Vandia Sands, Marketing Representative.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida –June 14, 2019 – Ms. Joy Jibrilu, Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, led The Bahamas’ contingent at the recent Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Week 2019 in New York City.

At the Rum and Rhythm Event during the recent CTO Week NYC 2019. L-R: Vandia Sands, Marketing Representative; Jewel Johnson, assistant to the Chef; Chef Kermit Mackey; Ebianna Smith, Senior Executive; and Chrystal Bethel, Marketing Co-ordinator.

The Bahamas’ team under the leadership of the Director General included the local staff of the Bahamas Tourist Office, New York, as well as a Bahamian culinary team that represented The Bahamas in CTO’s Annual Rum and Rhythm Festival.

The annual week of activities in New York City is organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. CTO has long held that the event, which draws tourism officials, industry executives, the media, the Caribbean Diaspora, travel agents, consumers and students is an opportunity to “showcase the best of Caribbean tourism.”

In addition to taking part in many of the week-long activities and events, the Bahamas Tourism’s top executive, DG Jibrilu, also provided interviews with various local media houses and Caribbean newspapers. The event also provided an opportunity for the Bahamas DG to be part of a Caribbean Marketing Conference for Ministers, Commissioners, Directors of Tourism and other Industry Representatives.

At the Media Marketplace during CTO’s Caribbean Week NYC 2019, Bahamas Tourist Office, New York’s team with Bahamas Director General of Tourism, Joy Jibrilu. L-R: Valery Brown-Alce, Senior Director; Vandia Sands, Marketing Representative; DG; Chrystal Bethel, Marketing Co-ordinator and Mykala Moss, Area Manager, New York.

According to CTO, the week in New York is organized annually to combine business sessions and consumer-oriented events with food, fashion, entertainment, sales and networking opportunities and to overall “create awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse product offerings.”

A popular event annually, The Rum and Rhythm (scholarship benefit) featured the traditional and national dishes and drinks from CTO member countries. The Bahamian culinary team, headed by Chef Kermit Mackey, prepared Conch Empanadas, Coconut Flavored Shrimp and Grits, Pulled Pork on Plantain Chips, Mini Rum Cakes and Bread Pudding, all inspired by Bahamian flavors.

For information on The Bahamas, visit www.bahamas.com