Guyana’s President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will take centre stage at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026, delivering the keynote address as regional tourism leaders gather to consider how the Caribbean can build a smarter, more sustainable and inclusive tourism industry.

The conference will be held in Georgetown, Guyana, from October 5–9 under the theme “Tourism Futures: Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive.”

President Ali’s participation is expected to broaden the conversation beyond visitor arrivals, connecting tourism with economic transformation, resilience, technology, investment and opportunities for Caribbean people.

The discussions come at a pivotal time for regional tourism.

Caribbean destinations are navigating changing traveller expectations, rapid technological developments, climate pressures and increasing global competition. SOTIC 2026 will explore how the region can respond to those challenges while developing a tourism model that generates stronger economic, social and environmental returns.

CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper said President Ali brings an important perspective to those discussions, particularly given his understanding of the relationship between sustainable tourism and wider national development.

“President Ali’s participation brings an important dimension to SOTIC at a time when we are asking fundamental questions about what the future of Caribbean tourism should look like,” Regis-Prosper said.

“As we explore a future that is smarter, more sustainable and more inclusive, his voice will help set the stage for the bold thinking and collaborative action our region needs.”

This year’s conference will also mark a milestone for Guyana, which is hosting SOTIC for the first time.

The South American Caribbean nation provides an increasingly relevant backdrop for the discussions, having placed biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism and community participation at the centre of its tourism strategy while simultaneously experiencing significant economic transformation.

Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, said hosting the conference provides an opportunity both to contribute to the regional tourism conversation and showcase the evolution of the country’s visitor economy.

“The conference theme speaks directly to the kind of tourism future we are working to build — one that embraces innovation, protects what makes our destinations distinctive and ensures that the benefits of tourism reach our people and communities,” Rodrigues said.

“Guyana is proud to provide the setting for this important regional dialogue.”

President Ali also brings direct experience in tourism and economic planning to the conference.

Before assuming the presidency, he served in Guyana’s National Assembly and held ministerial responsibility for Tourism, Industry and Commerce, as well as Housing and Water.

First sworn in as Guyana’s ninth executive president in August 2020, Ali began his second term in September 2025. His academic background includes a doctorate in urban and regional planning from the University of the West Indies.

SOTIC serves as one of the Caribbean’s major forums for examining the direction of the regional tourism industry, bringing together tourism ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, private-sector executives, international and regional partners, academics, media, young people and other industry stakeholders.

The 2026 programme will focus on data and tourism intelligence, innovation and emerging technologies, climate resilience and regenerative tourism, destination competitiveness and inclusive growth.

The role of young Caribbean people in shaping the industry’s future will also feature prominently.

CTO business meetings will open the week on October 5 and 6, followed by the main conference on October 7 and 8.

The Regional Tourism Youth Congress will take place on October 8, while Destination Media Briefings will bring the week’s activities to a close on October 9.

As Caribbean tourism continues to evolve beyond its traditional sun, sea and sand proposition, SOTIC 2026 will turn the conversation toward what comes next and, crucially, how the region can ensure that the next era of tourism delivers meaningful benefits not only for visitors and investors, but for the Caribbean people and communities at its heart.