Wednesday, March 19, 2025
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) have teamed up to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming tourism education and workforce development throughout the Caribbean. This collaboration seeks to enhance the region’s competitiveness in the tourism sector, a key driver of its economic resilience.
The Tourism Human Capital Development Project, backed by the CDB’s Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network, will invest approximately US$400,000. These funds will be used to refresh training resources, create tools for workforce management, and implement professional development programs.
The project, named “Improving the Knowledge and Skills of Tourism Workers in the Caribbean,” is designed to strengthen the long-term viability of the tourism sector, with a focus on supporting micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Through the modernization of educational materials, the initiative seeks to enhance tourism training programs, refine workplace management practices, and provide expanded learning opportunities for employers, employees, and entrepreneurs in CTO member nations.
“These efforts will equip industry professionals with the skills needed to adapt to evolving market demands and ensure the sector’s long-term resilience,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General & CEO of CTO. “Strengthening our current and future workforce – from students and educators to MSMEs and industry leaders – is key to the sector’s growth. Through targeted training, technical assistance, and enhanced educational resources, this project empowers individuals and businesses to elevate industry standards, improve service delivery, and drive sustainable tourism development across the region.”
This initiative leverages insights from the 2022 Regional Human Resource Development Knowledge and Skills Audit, also funded and supported by the Bank, which highlighted key skill and knowledge deficiencies within the sector. The project will overhaul CTO’s tourism education resources, ranging from primary school to university level, create an online platform for workforce management, and offer specialized training in digital innovation and leadership development.
“We are grateful to CDB, and its CTCS Network, for supporting this initiative to enhance the competitiveness of the Caribbean tourism workforce and businesses,” Regis-Prosper added.
According to L. O’Reilly Lewis, CDB’s Acting Director of Projects, the project advances strategic efforts to build production resilience and promote private sector operations, including MSMEs. He added that “the Bank is pleased to engage and support CTO with this initiative. We recognize the tourism industry’s significance to many of our regional economies and CDB’s Borrowing Members in terms of its contribution to both economic and social development. The Bank’s contribution to this project complements our ongoing efforts to engender a skilled and adaptable workforce in tourism-related businesses aimed at sustaining the competitiveness of the industry.”
Amid global economic challenges, rising competition, and a stronger focus on sustainable tourism, industry experts emphasize that securing and keeping skilled workers will be essential for the region’s long-term economic success.
