The Tourism sector has been buzzing with activity for the last few months; an increase in cruise calls to the destination, Stakeholder Consultations on the establishment of a Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Regulatory and Licensing Authority (TTTRLA), in Tobago a newly appointed CEO of the Tobago Tourism Agency and in Trinidad recruitment of the executive management team of Trinidad Tourism Limited is well on its way (stay tuned for the announcement of the new CEO).
To pull all of this together, the Cabinet took a decision to establish a Tourism Task Force. The Task Force will manage and coordinate joint marketing initiatives, investment and product development in respect of Destination Trinidad and Tobago. The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism convened the first meeting of the Tourism Task Force on Friday January 19, 2018 the Office of the Prime Minister, Central Administrative Services, Orange Field Road, Scarborough, Tobago.
The Task Force will comprise the following individuals:
- Minister of Tourism (Chair)
- Secretary for Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Tobago House of Assembly (Alternate Chair)
- Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism
- A representative of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts
- Administrator, Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trinidad entity
- The Chairman of the Board Directors of the Trinidad entity
- Stakeholder representation, as necessary
- Ex-officio members will be appointed as necessary
In attendance at the first meeting were:
The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Vidiah Ramkhelawan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Adrian Winter, Personal Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Carla Cupid, Senior Promotions Officer, Ministry of Tourism, Beverly Reid-Samuel, Director, Human Resources, Ministry of Community Development, Culture and The Arts, Claire Davidson-Williams, Administrator
Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Dr. Sherma Roberts, Chairman, Tobago Tourism Agency, Louis Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Tobago Tourism Agency, Kieron McDougall, Advisor to the Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Transportation and Rhonda Thomas-LaTouche, Marketing Research Officer, Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation