By Colin Rickards

The “Caribbean Week in Toronto” promotion -- the annual visit to our city by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) -- is always useful to the travel trade, at whom it is targeted, and, running my eye over the planned December 5-to-10 activities, I spotted three which seem likely to hold more than usual interest.
My attention was caught by a CTO outreach effort aimed at the Caribbean Diaspora, and a “How not to put your foot in your mouth” -- my phraseology -- seminar for National Tourist Office representatives.
This year Caribbean Week also provides a high profile opportunity for the public launch of The Caribbean Tourism Scholarship Foundation, which will take place at the CTO’s hugely popular “Rum & Rhythm” event.
The outreach, aimed at Caribbean nationals residing in Toronto, will be held on Tuesday, December 6, at the Novotel Toronto Centre (45 The Esplanade). It will take the form of a seminar and think tank called “Re-Discovering Home: Caribbean Diaspora Forum,” the intent of which is to encourage, educate and equip members of the Diaspora to become influential “Brand Ambassadors” for the Caribbean.
Tourism contributes more than 30 per cent to the GDP of some Caribbean islands. It also employs hundreds of thousands of Caribbean people in the CTO’s 30-plus Member Countries, and, most importantly, statistics show that on average each tourism job supports four to six dependents.
The following day, Wednesday, December 7, will be for members of the travel sector and travel trade. A morning workshop for National Tourist Office representatives is called “Crisis Communications: How to Look and Communicate like a Pro during a Crisis.”
This primer is one of a series staged periodically by the CTO to give participants an opportunity to increase their knowledge in a particular field related to their profession.
“Your country’s reputation is its most valuable asset and from time to time, this asset is threatened by a crisis,” says the CTO. “You may not be able to prevent a crisis, but your response will determine whether to situation is made worse or if your country’s reputation survives.”
By the CTO’s definition -- in this instance -- a “crisis” could be “anything from storms to crime, from natural to man-made.”
“When this happens, how do you defend your country’s reputation?” the organization asks rhetorically. “What can you say to avoid making a bad situation worse? How do you say it? What image do you project?”
This seminar is really a “How do you put a positive spin on things” – again, my phrasing -- session. It will be illustrated by what the CTO calls “the best examples of crisis communications -- as well as some of the worst,” and will offer advice about how to excel at one and avoid the other.
On Thursday, December 8, Hugh Riley, the amiable Secretary General of the CTO, will meet the media and make his “state of the nation” remarks about Caribbean tourism, as well as upcoming regional strategic initiatives.
Former CP24 broadcaster Nneka Elliott, who now heads her own company, The Media Huddle, will be the M.C. for the annual Caribbean Media Awards Luncheon, which recognizes the Canadian-based media’s best in travel writing and journalism on the Caribbean during the past year.
In addition, the CTO will present the Andrew R. Parris Award to a retail travel agent based in Canada who has been high-producing for the Caribbean. It is named in memory of the late and much lamented Trinidad-born Parris, who was the CTO’s mainstay in Canada for many years.
The formal launch of The Caribbean Tourism Scholarship Foundation will take place the same evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., at the always fun “Rum & Rhythm -- A Celebration of Caribbean Culture” extravaganza, to be held at Andrew Richard Designs, at 571 Adelaide Street East.
“The R&R event will be the initial fundraiser for The Caribbean Tourism Scholarship Foundation, which will provide study grants and scholarships to nationals of CTO Member Countries who are pursuing studies in Tourism and Hospitality and Languages,” says Petronilla Marchan of Caribrand Communications, which has been contracted for the event by the CTO.
Ready to spring to the microphone with well chosen words will be Edward Hamilton from the Ministry of Rum -- say what? The CTO describes him as “an expert on the rums of the Caribbean,” and promises that he will “educate guests on the history of rum, its production and best blends.”
Actually, that rather sells this Featured Speaker short.
In 1993, while visiting a number of Eastern Caribbean islands on his 38-foot sloop, Hamilton dropped by several distilleries. He was intrigued, and over the next two years made a point of visited every distillery in the area -- some several times.
As his knowledge grew about hundreds of rums, Hamilton decided to share it with connoisseurs around the world, and his book Rums of the Eastern Caribbean was published in 1995. A new book -- called The Complete Guide to Rum -- came out in 1997, along with a second edition of Rums of the Eastern Caribbean.
Time marches on. Today he has his own website -- MinistryOfRum.com -- which has become the world’s most-visited rum information site. In short, Hamilton likes rum -- and, even more, he likes writing and talking about it.
“If I could think of a better job, I’d do it!” he quips.
The ever ebullient Itah Sadu will be the M.C. for “Rum & Rhythm” and guests will be able to try special cocktails created by mixologist Trevor Burnett, who calls himself a Spirits Ambassador.
Raffles and giveaways -- including Caribbean trips -- will punctuate the evening, with ambience and background music being supplied by The Joy Lapps Trio -- Andrew Stewart on bass, Larnell Lewis on drums and Joy Lapps-Lewis on steelpan.
Tickets for “Rum & Rhythm” are $100 each, and with limited space availability, they are going fast. For more information and tickets, contact Andre Newell: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Pet Marchan: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
For more information on Caribbean Week, or to view full calendar listings, visit www.caribbeanweekcanada.com.