From eTN Global Travel News

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – In the Caribbean, tourism is the major economic driver, which lends itself to being the most powerful motivation for social change. The Caribbean tourism industry will conduct a conference next week during which the head honcho of the largest provider of Caribbean vacations will share his thoughts on the future of tourism in the region.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) will be conducted in the US Virgin Islands from September 17-19, 2014, and will take place at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Resort in St. Thomas. It will bring together speakers of international and regional acclaim from various fields linked to tourism to provide best practices and winning strategies on a wide range of issues that impact the region’s primary economic driver.

In keeping with the SOTIC conference theme “Realizing the Vision: Position Caribbean Tourism for Major Change,” Alex Zozaya, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S.-based Apple Leisure Group (ALG), will make the keynote presentation on the challenges and opportunities that Caribbean nations face.

“Under Alex’s leadership, Apple Leisure Group’s impact on the Caribbean tourism industry has been priceless, as the company delivers more business, and employs more people, in the area,” said Hugh Riley, the CTO’s Secretary General. “We are excited to have Alex join us as our keynote speaker and share his vision of the future of the travel industry and what role the Caribbean market will play.”

Mr. Zozaya has served as CEO of the company since 2013, and has more than 30 years of industry experience, including 13 as the president and CEO of AMResorts® which he established in 2001 as part of ALG. Other ALG companies include: Apple Vacations®, Travel Impressions®, CheapCaribbean.com®, Amstar dmc®, and Unlimited Vacation Club.

His outstanding contributions to the international hotel business earned Zozaya recognition as one of Travel Agent magazine’s “100 Rising Stars,” and he has been listed on CNN Expansión’s list of the 100 most important and influential business people in Mexico for three consecutive years.

“Realizing a tourism vision for the Caribbean is dependent on creating long-term partnerships with the private sector to provide continuous public sector policies and a focused strategy which deliver sustainable economic and social benefits to the region,” said Zozaya.

Also scheduled to deliver a feature address at SOTIC is Gloria Guevara Manzo, Mexico’s former secretary of tourism. She will focus on how to keep a mature brand fresh by effecting major change.

The CTO State of the Industry Conference is organized in collaboration with the USVI department of tourism, and is supported by JetBlue.

For more information on SOTIC, including how to register, participate, and benefit, visit www.onecaribbean.org

IMAGE: Alex Zozaya

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