PRESS RELEASE: ICF Tourism Visionaries Circle at WTM Caribbean Edition Showcases Bold Strategies for Sustainable Growth
London, November 5, 2025 — The global solutions provider ICF, in partnership with the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council, convened an exclusive Tourism Visionaries Circle – Caribbean Edition at WTM London this week. The high-level roundtable brought together influential tourism leaders from across the Caribbean and international development community to address the region’s evolving challenges and opportunities in achieving long-term sustainable tourism growth.
Chaired by Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism at ICF, the discussion examined critical issues such as tourism and climate resilience, blue economy, regional collaboration, social impact, data quality and intelligence systems, tourism development financing, tourism infrastructure investment, workforce development and capacity building, and the balance between growth and environmental stewardship. Participants exchanged insights on accelerating collaboration across island nations, identifying new models of financing, and designing innovative frameworks that place communities and natural assets at the heart of tourism development.
Key participants included:
• Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism, Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
• Latia Duncombe, Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation
• Tashia Burns, Secretary of Tourism Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, Tobago House Assembly
• Patrick Fritz, Technical Coordinator, International Development and Cooperation, UN Tourism
• Rebecca Whitehead, Sustainability Manager, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
• Florian Valmy Devillers, Business Development Director, Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
• Natasha Chalwell, Deputy Director of Tourism, British Virgin Islands
• Jane Thompson, Director, Aviation Travel and Tourism, ICF
They were joined by senior figures from the Manchester Airports Group, and the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT Global), among others.
“The Caribbean remains one of the world’s most dynamic tourism regions, but also one of the most vulnerable to climate and economic shocks,” said Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism at ICF. “Our goal is to support Caribbean destinations in advancing their sustainability efforts, combat their key challenges by building resilience through data-driven strategies, empower cross-sector partnerships, and facilitate capacity building and interregional learnings.”
Laurie Myers, Global Strategist for the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council, added:
“The Caribbean exemplifies both the promise and the pressure of modern tourism. By bringing together leaders who are shaping the region’s future, we can identify scalable solutions that align investment, sustainability, and community outcomes.”
The roundtable formed part of a global series of Tourism Visionaries Circles curated by ICF and the Resilience Council, designed to foster knowledge exchange among governments, private-sector leaders, and multilateral partners driving resilient tourism transformation.
About:
ICF
ICF is a leading global solutions and technology provider. ICF combines unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future. Guided by our purpose and values, we are steadfast in our commitment to our culture to building a more prosperous and resilient world for all. Responsible tourism development is at the heart of ICF’s global solutions for the sector, combined with interdisciplinary expertise which makes ICF unique in addressing the most urgent and critical challenges the tourism sector and its industries face. ICF is an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism, and Industry Partner of the World Travel and Tourism Council, and an Executive Leader of the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council. www.icf.com
Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council
The Resilience Council is a global platform that brings together public and private sector leaders to address crisis management, recovery, sustainability, and resilience in travel and tourism. Established in 2018, it serves as a bridge between industry, governments, and international organizations to advance strategic dialogue, partnerships, and solutions that ensure a more secure and sustainable future for global tourism. resiliencecouncil.com