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Caribbean nations marketing under single brand

Caribbean nations marketing under single brand

Although Caribbean island nations are still working away at creating a unified economic unit similar to the European Union, the Caribbean Trade Organization has agreed to begin marketing the region under the unified 'Caribbean' brand name.

   The group, which includes tourism ministers from many of the nations, authorized a new rainbow-back logo at the 30th annual conference held last week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

   'Whether we like it or not, we're all intrinsically tied,' said CTO Chairman Allen Chastanet, tourism minister from St. Lucia, in an Associated Press report. 'If you can create more awareness of the Caribbean, then all the destinations in the region will benefit.'

   Chastanet stressed that the new campaign would not detract from any of the individual nations. He said the region needs to keep pace with growth in the tourism industry — especially since it is the main economic driver of most of the countries — but the Caribbean is not keeping pace.

   He cited statistics that show global tourism revenues have been growing at an average of 4.5 percent a year over the last decade, while in the Caribbean, the growth rate is only 3.5 percent.