Providenciales, TCI, November 4, 2016 – The months of October and November see Invest Turks and Caicos (Invest TCI) continuing to promote these islands to an international audience while also undertaking overseas developmental training to enhance staff skills and develop best practice in the delivery of its work as an investment promotion agency.
In October, Invest TCI was represented at the 21st annual World Investment Conference (WIC) by CEO John Rutherford. The flagship event of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) which took place in Istanbul October 13-14 brought together Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) from all around the world, as well as multilateral organisations, private sector representatives, prominent economists and researchers. The conference focus was on Foreign Direct Investment as a driver to achieve national sustainable development goals; the influence of technology in IPA service excellence; and analyzing factors that determine private sector investments into markets.
Following the WIC, Invest TCI had representation at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) which took place in Hong Kong, China from October 19-21st. This hospitality industry conference brought together the top hotels and resorts in Asia as well as major investors and developers and Mr Rutherford was able to meet with a number of representatives of these bodies to promote TCI as the number one luxury destination in the Caribbean.
“These events were extremely useful to promote both Turks and Caicos and the Agency itself”, Mr Rutherford said. “The World Investment Conference provided an excellent opportunity to learn the latest in best practice in attracting overseas investment, and to compare notes with heads of other investment agencies. The conference’s theme of encouraging sustainable development through inward investment is very important for the work of Invest Turks and Caicos and the TCI Government as we try to ensure that the country fully benefits from investment in our islands.”
“I was based in Asia for ten years and the HICAP event in Hong Kong allowed me to resurrect a number of useful corporate contacts and raise the profile of Turks and Caicos with some luxury hotel brands such as Shangri La, Marco Polo, Oberoi and Langham Group. While we currently do not have any Asian hotel brands in TCI there is growing interest in the region and I was not the only Caribbean investment agency presence at the conference.”
Invest TCI’s promotional and developmental activities will continue in November as members of the team will be promoting the country at The Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 10/11 November; and attending the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) Interactive workshop and training session in Jamaica November 8-9. The islands will have representation at an FCO-sponsored conference on Economic Diversification and Resilience on Small Islands in the British Virgin Islands from 7-9 November; the deputy head of Invest Turks & Caicos is looking forward to engaging in dialogue with representatives from other small islands on the issues as it relates to mapping out a pathway for policy-making, investment and sustainable growth given the current economic conditions.
For more information on our upcoming events, visit our website at investturksandcaicos.tc.
