BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The secretary general of the World Tourism Organization Dr.Taleb Rifai will deliver the feature address at the State of the Industry Conference to be held in St Kitts later this year.

The October 11-13 event is the Caribbean’s premier tourism gathering, organised by the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).

“We are pleased that Dr. Rifai has accepted our invitation to speak at the CTO State of the Industry conference. As the head of the global body for tourism, it is fitting that Dr. Rifai would attend the premier event for the Caribbean’s bread and butter industry and to lend his support to the efforts of the region’s tourism institution to build a sustainable industry,” said Hugh Riley, the CTO’s secretary general.

A CTO statement said that as head of the United Nations agency (UNWTO), Rifai, oversees the organization’s programme to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability in its 155 member countries.

The CTO State of the Industry conference brings together more than 300 industry leaders from the CTO member countries, as well as representatives of the regional and international private sector, academics and members of the media.

The conference will be held under the themes “Developing a Winning Strategy” and “Rediscovering Home.”