Antigua and Barbuda assumes leadership of Caribbean Tourism Organization

Antigua and Barbuda has assumed leadership of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) during the annual general assembly and the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026 held in Guyana.

Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transport, and Investments, will lead the CTO Ministerial Council and Commissioners. He succeeds Ian Gooding-Edghill of Barbados, whose term focused on the ‘Reimagine Plan’—a strategy centered on market competitiveness, tourism intelligence, sustainability, and human resource development.

At the board level, Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, takes over the presidency from Andrea Franklin of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. The SOTIC 2026 conference, themed ‘Tourism Futures: Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive,’ aims to address regional challenges including air connectivity, the integration of artificial intelligence for small businesses, and sustainable investment.