CTO honors Caribbean media winners and launches CTO TV in New York

The Caribbean Tourism Organization recognized journalists, broadcasters and digital creators at its annual Caribbean Media Awards Luncheon in New York on June 7, 2026. The event also marked the debut of CTO TV, a new platform aimed at expanding Caribbean tourism storytelling through video and digital content.

Why it matters: - The awards highlight the role of journalism and digital storytelling in shaping how the Caribbean is seen by travelers, policymakers and diaspora audiences. - CTO TV gives the organization a new channel to promote Caribbean tourism, regional collaboration and leadership voices. - The platform launches with an existing library of more than 700 videos, giving CTO immediate scale.

What happened: - The Caribbean Tourism Organization held its annual Caribbean Media Awards Luncheon during Caribbean Week in New York on June 7, 2026. - The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism sponsored the luncheon. - CTO recognized storytellers, broadcasters and digital creators from the U.S. and the Caribbean for work covering the region’s people, culture, environment and tourism landscape. - CTO also officially launched CTO TV at the event.

The details: - Awards were presented in three categories: Storytelling Excellence, Digital and Innovation, and Voices of the Caribbean. - Donna Regis-Prosper, CTO’s secretary-general and CEO, said the awards honor stories that go beyond beaches and resorts and elevate Caribbean voices. - Dana Givens won Best Consumer Story for “Jamaica’s Greenest Parish Is Its Best-Kept Secret” in National Geographic. - Christina Jelski of Travel Weekly won Best Trade Article for her interview with former Bahamas Director General of Tourism Joy Jibrilu. - Ryan Bachoo of Guardian Media in Trinidad & Tobago won Best Podcast/Radio for his reporting on sargassum’s impact on Caribbean tourism. - The Jamaica Tourist Board won the Social Media Campaign award for its “Reggae Marathon 2025” campaign. - Meschida Philip’s documentary “Echoes of Waltham” won top honors in Video Production. - Esther Jones of the Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network won Best News Reporting for her story on the balance between cruise tourism and marine protection in Barbados. - Ralph Thomassaint Joseph of Documented NY won the Personal Immersive Story award for “Dancing Through Fear: A Haitian Performer Faces Deportation in New York.” - Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald was named Diaspora Journalist of the Year for her reporting on Haiti. - Luis Joel Méndez González of the Center for Investigative Journalism won Emerging Journalist of the Year for the investigative “Esencia” series. - CTO TV is designed to expand the organization’s reach through video storytelling, leadership interviews, policy discussions and destination content.

Between the lines: - CTO is signaling that tourism promotion now depends as much on credible media coverage and cultural storytelling as on marketing campaigns. - The award mix shows a broader definition of Caribbean tourism coverage, including environmental issues, diaspora identity, migration and investigative reporting. - Launching CTO TV at a media awards event ties the platform directly to the journalists and creators CTO wants to reach.

What’s next: - CTO TV will use the existing video archive while adding new content focused on tourism, innovation and regional cooperation. - CTO is likely to keep using the Media Awards to elevate stories that align with its sustainable tourism message. - More content and leadership programming should follow as the new platform expands.

The bottom line: - CTO is pairing recognition of outside storytellers with its own media platform to shape the Caribbean tourism narrative more directly.