The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has elected Cayman Islands Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan as its new chairman.

He succeeds outgoing chairman, Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism for Barbados. The election took place at CTO’s recent annual general meeting held at the Ritz-Carlton in Grand Cayman.

Bryan will serve for the next two years. In his acceptance speech, Bryan remarked, “I’m honoured and excited to take over the mantle of the CTO chairmanship because I recognise, like all other members, that there needs to be some reform and restructuring, particularly with respect to air travel and marketing.”

“I’m ready to take on the challenge, in collaboration with my regional colleagues, of finding a new way forward, as well as addressing any issues we have within the organisation to improve efficiency and focus,” he added.

The incoming CTO chairman concluded by thanking his predecessor for the hard work that she did over a very difficult period, particularly “in managing a very important organisation when the whole region was dealing with difficulties in tourism, brought on by the pandemic.” 

Rosa Harris, Cayman Islands’ director of tourism, praised Cummins for her efforts to help keep the organisation going. 

In paying tribute to Cummins, Harris said, “to keep it alive and to keep it afloat when at one point we were in danger of people just giving up on the theory of what CTO stands for, I want to thank her for that.”