The UK Chapter of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation hosted its successful and ever popular annual summer ball, at the five-star Dorchester Hotel, on London’s Park Lane, on Thursday 17 June 2010.
Attended by 325 guests, the black tie event began with a welcome reception at 19.00hrs, with a steel band. A three-course dinner followed at 20.00hrs and guests within the ballroom included industry partners across all sectors including national tourist offices, airlines, hotels and hotel representation companies, tour operators, travel agents and the media, from both trade and consumer outlets.
There were a number of prestigious VIP Guests who attended the event including:
• Hugh Riley, secretary general, Caribbean Tourism Organisation
• The Honourable Ed Bartlett, minister of tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board
• John Lynch, director of tourism and chairman, Jamaica Tourist Board
• Senator the Honourable Allen M. Chastanet, minister of tourism and civil aviation, Saint Lucia
• Levi Roots, Caribbean-born reggae musician, chef and entrepreneur
• Angie Greaves, radio presenter (Magic FM)
There were four key sponsors this year: Travel Weekly, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and exposure4
The ever-popular and generously supported raffle on the night raised £3,400, which will be shared between The CTO Scholarship Foundation and Help Haiti, CTO’s Relief Fund. Accommodation prizes for the raffle were kindly donated by Almond Resorts, Jolly Beach Resort & Spa Antigua, Sandals & Beaches Resorts with flights kindly supplied by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. In addition the Saint Lucia Tourist Board supplied one-way Helicopter transfers and the Barbados Tourism Authority supplied bottles of Mount Gay Rum.
The after-dinner entertainment was this year provided by DJ Martin Jay (from Choice FM) and from the band Tropical Elements, who got the crowd up and dancing until 01.00hrs with a mixture of soca, reggae and salsa.
Carol Hay, director of marketing, CTO UK and Europe, said, “We are thoroughly delighted to have been able to welcome all our guests, industry partners and so many VIP guests and supporters on the night, to celebrate this diverse and exciting region.
“The ball continues to be seen as one of the highlights of the travel industry calendar and our thanks and appreciation go to our generous sponsors for this year’s event: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Travel Weekly and exposure4. We also extend our gratitude and thanks to our members for their support to the event with ticket sales. The CTO is delighted to have raised a significant sum for such important Caribbean causes, and our recognition goes to all those companies who so generously donated prizes.”
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