by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN)—The 91st Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Board of Directors Meeting was held on June 1, 2026, in New York City. It took place during the opening day of Caribbean Week in New York 2026, hosted at the InterContinental New York Times Square.
The gathering brought together regional tourism officials to strategise and discuss tourism agendas, airlift development, sustainable initiatives, and digital innovations, including artificial intelligence in tourism.
The session convened 18 Caribbean Ministers of Tourism and prominent directors from across the region. Representatives included CTO Chairman Ian Gooding-Edghill, CTO Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper, and St. Kitts Tourism Authority CEO Kelly Fontenelle.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Marsha Henderson, outlined the Federation’s strong performance, infrastructure, and policy shifts at CTO Week’s “Around the Table in 60 Minutes” in New York.
For the first quarter, the destination registered 41,490 airlift passengers and an estimated visitor spend of $62.48 million, a 21% increase over 2025 statistics and a significant boost in high-quality visitor spend.
Minister Henderson reiterated that Port Zante will serve as a primary turnaround port beginning in November 2027, allowing passengers to start and end their cruises directly on the island.
Additionally, driven by successful campaigns reaching millions through Amazon Prime and major airport placements, the destination is strategically expanding its global visibility.
She detailed updates to maritime policies to launch an organised yachting sector, alongside physical infrastructural upgrades to enhance the visitor experience from the airport to the cruise terminal.
