WILLEMSTAD- June 30, 2024 – Recently, two pre-conferences took place as preparation for the National Tourism Conference that the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) along with the Ministry of Economic Development (MEO) will organize on World Tourism Day, next September 27th. This time, the topics were Diversity and, the following day, Authenticity. The Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Ruisandro Cijntje, and the Counterpart Director of CTB, Mr. Muryad de Bruin, addressed their remarks to the participants.
The pre-conference on Diversity included participation from 67 individuals who are directly and indirectly involved with the tourism industry. The session focused on how to better meet the needs and preferences of tourists visiting our island, including choices of accommodation, attractions, and services. Strategies were also explored on how to involve different groups in tourism and create a balance in diversity with authentic experiences.
Subsequently, the session on Authenticity addressed the challenges that can arise when maintaining the cultural, natural, and historical identity of our destination while tourism grows. During the session, participants were divided into different groups, where each group explored the topic and together discussed strategies to define sustainable growth that respects and preserves authenticity. A total of 70 individuals participated in this session.
In August, the last two sessions will take place as preparation for the conference. The topics to be covered are Community Participation and Competitiveness. The pre-conference sessions will result in preliminary resolutions that will be discussed at the conference in September to reach final resolutions. These final resolutions will then be translated into concrete actions for the benefit of the Curaçao community and Curaçao as a tourist destination.
