The Trinidad & Tobago Convention Bureau, a department within the Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company Limited (TDC), will host its first North American Road Show in three major US cities: Washington DC, Atlanta and New York City from May 3-9, 2015.

With responsibility for increasing the number of meetings and conferences held in Trinidad & Tobago, the Convention Bureau will be targeting the key cities that are headquarters to a large number of associations, professional bodies and Caribbean interests who have traditionally been the main source markets for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions market (MICE).

In these cities, the Bureau will receive support from Trinidad & Tobago Consular offices based in New York, Washington DC and Miami. Representing the consul offices are His Excellency Dr. Neil Parsan, Ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago to the United States of America and Mexico and Permanent Representative of Trinidad & Tobago to the Organization of the American States; the Honourable Dr. Rudrawatee Nan Ramgoolam, Consul General New York and the Honourable Dr. Anil Ramnanan, Consul General of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Miami.

The primary purpose of the road show is to increase conference bid opportunities for Trinidad & Tobago, generate leads for hosting meetings and conferences, build awareness of Trinidad & Tobago as a MICE destination, highlight the services of the Convention Bureau and strengthen relationships with key meeting planners in the US Market.

Focusing on the associations and meeting planners that are deemed to be the most lucrative for the destination, the road show will include discussions with 60-70 pre–qualified meeting planners in each city who have a vested interest in Trinidad & Tobago and, by extension, the Caribbean. As a follow up exercise, an educational study tour will be planned in 2016 for 7-10 planners who are seriously considering Trinidad & Tobago for their next event.

Joining the Convention Bureau on this initiative are representatives from the Tourism Development Company Limited (TDC), the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), the Trinidad Hotel Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA), The Travel Marketing Network and Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications (CAMC) - the TDC’s US overseas public relations marketing agencies - who will all play a major role in ensuring the overall success of the Road Show.