As part of its 10th year anniversary celebrations, the launch of “Caribbean Rocks NYC”, an event spotlighting the Caribbean’s extraordinarily beautiful destinations and amazing culture, music and entertainment has been announced. Caribbean Rocks NYC, will take place during CTO’s Caribbean Week June 1st – 5th, 2016 in NYC and is a partnership between TEMPO, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Platinum destination partner, The Islands Of The Bahamas -- one of the Caribbean’s leading tourist destinations.
A combination of awards ceremony and Caribbean travel, destination and entertainment showcase, Caribbean Rocks NYC will also feature the very best in live performances from top Caribbean performers. TEMPO’s Founder Chairman & CEO, Frederick A. Morton, Jr. states: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Islands of the Bahamas to produce this ground-breaking event designed to spotlight on an annual basis our world-class destinations and tourism product and unmatched music and entertainment talent – the heart and soul of the TEMPO mission.” This partnership between TEMPO and the CTO in the development of Caribbean Rocks NYC takes on even greater significance during TEMPO’s 10th year anniversary, recalling TEMPO’s launch in 2005 at the CTO’s Caribbean Fair at New York City’s South Street Seaport.
“TEMPO’s roots,” Morton states, “are firmly planted within CTO and Caribbean Week is the marker for where it all began.” The 2005 TEMPO Launch event drew a crowd of more than 10,000 attendees and was the largest event ever staged during Caribbean Week. In addition to marketing and promoting the Caribbean’s amazing destinations, the event cemented TEMPO’s mission of identifying and establishing Caribbean talent, as it featured then burgeoning artist Rihanna, who has since advanced to international super-stardom; Grammy Award winning artist Wyclef Jean; and soca star Machel Montano, among others.
CTO Secretary General Mr. Hugh Riley states “When we joined forces with TEMPO during Caribbean Week in New York in 2005, we had no way of predicting some of the incredible outcomes we have seen since then! We fully expect the 2016 Caribbean Rocks NYC to be equally exciting and rewarding for the performers, our participating countries and all those who attend this historic event. Caribbean Rocks NYC is the next best thing to actually being in the Caribbean!”
The launch of Caribbean Rocks NYC establishes the premier event to bring attention to two of the Caribbean’s most important industries, tourism and entertainment, through the development of a product which will grow to be like the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) or Movie Awards or BET Honors and Award show, aimed to showcase both at a high-end level. The event is primarily targeted to the very important Diaspora market, but with strong ancillary promotions to the general market. Bahamas Minister of Tourism, The Hon. Obie H. Wilchcombe, MP the only current sitting Minister in the CTO who had witnessed the TEMPO Launch event in 2005 first-hand, recalled the excitement and the energy that had been generated at the Caribbean Fair. Minister Wilchcombe emphasized the need for greater engagement of the Caribbean Diaspora, which has a huge propensity to travel and is being recognized as an important target group for Caribbean destinations. “When it comes to the transmission of Caribbean music and culture, TEMPO is in a class by itself. In the spirit of One Caribbean, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is delighted to collaborate with TEMPO and CTO to launch Caribbean Rocks NYC. The concert will give Bahamian and other Caribbean artists the opportunity to take their music to an international stage, in the world’s most dynamic city,” states Minister Wilchcombe.
