CTO’s Rum & Rhythm Benefit closes Caribbean Week with scholarship push

The Caribbean Tourism Organization capped Caribbean Week in New York with a sold-out Rum & Rhythm Benefit at Lavan Chelsea, blending food, music and tourism networking. The event also raised support for CTO Scholarship Foundation grants aimed at developing the next generation of Caribbean tourism leaders.

Why it matters: - The Rum & Rhythm Benefit is both a cultural showcase and a fundraiser for scholarships and educational grants for Caribbean nationals studying tourism-related fields. - The event helps connect Caribbean tourism leaders with North American travel trade partners, a relationship that can influence future visitation and business. - The CTO said the week’s meetings, ideas and partnerships will continue to support a more resilient and competitive Caribbean tourism industry.

What happened: - The Caribbean Tourism Organization closed Caribbean Week in New York with the Rum & Rhythm Benefit at Lavan Chelsea in Manhattan. - The event brought together tourism leaders, industry partners, media, travel advisors and consumers. - The benefit sold out. - The evening featured premium rums, signature cocktails, authentic Caribbean cuisine and live entertainment. - Participating destinations included the Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, St. Kitts and the U.S. Virgin Islands. - Celebrity DJ Jus Jay played Caribbean music, and Tee Jay performed his song “Drift.”

The details: - The CTO Scholarship Foundation produced the event. - The foundation is the nonprofit charitable arm of the CTO. - The foundation supports its mission through scholarships and educational grants. - The CTO Scholarship Foundation was established in 1997 and is registered in New York as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. - The foundation says it is approaching 30 years of supporting tourism education. - Judges awarded the Judges’ Choice Chef Award to Tevin Kemp of The Bahamas. - Judges awarded the Judges’ Choice Mixologist Award to Niko Imbert of The Bahamas. - Guests selected Damian Leach of Barbados for the People’s Choice Chef Award. - Guests also gave Niko Imbert the People’s Choice Mixologist Award, making him a double winner.

Between the lines: - The event’s sellout suggests strong interest in Caribbean tourism products and in the region’s cultural branding. - The awards format gave destinations a competitive platform to highlight culinary talent and beverage creativity. - The scholarship angle turns a social event into a pipeline for talent development, which matters for an industry that depends on skilled local workers. - CTO Secretary General Dona Regis Prosper said the week demonstrated collaboration, innovation and shared purpose across the region. - Jacqueline Johnson, chair of the CTO Scholarship Foundation, said the benefit invests in people who can become future tourism leaders.

What's next: - The CTO Scholarship Foundation will continue using benefit events and donations to fund scholarships and grants. - Caribbean tourism stakeholders are likely to keep using Caribbean Week as a venue for relationship-building with the North American travel trade. - The foundation’s 30-year milestone is approaching, which could bring additional focus to its education mission.

The bottom line: - Caribbean Week ended with a high-energy celebration that doubled as a talent showcase and a funding engine for the region’s tourism future. - More information is available at the CTO Scholarship Foundation.