The impact of technology on the region`s tourism business will be the general focus of a crucial MasterClass at the 28th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-28), which is taking place Oct. 21-26, 2005 at the Marriott Frenchman`s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort in the United States Virgin Islands.

With experts predicting that online travel will comprise more than 50 per cent of all travel bookings by 2006 and with travel sites becoming one-stop-shops for an entire travel experience it is important for those involved in Caribbean tourism to critically examine how best to make use of technology to drive business, the CTO said.

There is no doubt that technology is changing the travel and tourism industry at lightening speed and impacting on where consumers are travelling, how they`re booking and what they`re spending, and the companies and destinations that maximise their Internet presence to seize the new business opportunities that technology present will thrive, said Hugh Riley, CTO`s director of marketing for the Americas.

The MasterClass dubbed, Technology: Driving the Business of Tourism - Where are we now, and where are we heading? will provide valuable insights for all levels of participants. It will deal with issues such as how online marketing fits into the traditional mix; how to use e-commerce as a cost advantage; search engine management and marketing products and services on line.

CTO has made radical changes to the CTC programme by replacing most of the normal plenary sessions and workshops with a series of MasterClass educational seminars taught by travel and tourism industry experts. These MasterClasses will result in Certificates of Achievement for delegates attending the courses.

A series of business meetings, including meetings of the executive committee, ministers and commissioners of tourism and the board of directors will immediately precede the conference.