The Tribune

The Ministry of Tourism’s director-general led a Bahamian delegation to the recent Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Week 2019 in New York.

The team headed by Joy Jibrilu included local staff from The Bahamas Tourist Office in New York, as well as a Bahamian culinary team that represented The Bahamas in CTO’s Annual Rum and Rhythm Festival.

The annual week of activities is organised by the CTO in a bid to “showcase the best of Caribbean tourism”. Ms Jibrilu gave interviews to various media houses and Caribbean newspapers, while also taking part in a regional marketing conference for ministers, commissioners, directors of tourism and other industry representatives.

According to CTO, The week in New York is organized annually to combine business sessions and consumer-oriented events with food, fashion, entertainment, sales and networking opportunities and overall “create awareness of the Caribbean’s diverse product offerings”.

The Rum and Rhythm Festival featured the traditional national dishes and drinks from CTO member countries. The Bahamian culinary team headed by chef Kermit Mackey prepared conch empanadas; coconut-flavoured shrimp and grits; pulled pork on plantain chips; and mini rum cakes and bread pudding, all inspired by Bahamian flavours.