The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has further strengthened its commitment to develop sports tourism across the Caribbean by employing Deanna Weekes as its new Tourism Partner Manager. Deanna is an experienced tourism professional who will work with CPL’s tourist board partners to create packages for travelling fans to visit all CPL host countries during the 2024 tournament.
According to figures from the UNWTO, sports tourism currently represents 10% of global tourist flow, with this expected to grow to 12% in 2024. With sports tourism being such a key economic driver for the industry, the Caribbean has much to gain by growing its share of this lucrative sector. In 2024, CPL will be working even more closely with partners across the region to develop sports tourism and build valuable market share.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “We are tremendously excited to be able to begin offering fans travel packages so they can watch CPL teams in six wonderful locations across the Caribbean. We are blessed with hugely passionate fans and by employing a dedicated tourism manager who will work with hotels, airlines and tourist boards, we will be making it easier than ever for fans to travel to watch CPL cricket. With the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean this year be a bumper year for sports tourism and CPL are looking forward to building on the momentum from that event.”
Deanna Weekes, Republic Bank CPL’s newly appointed Tourism Partner Manager, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to be involved in the biggest annual sporting event in the Caribbean. I am looking forward to working with all CPL’s tourism partners to build on the existing strong relationships to push CPL’s impact on the regional economies to another level.”
ABOUT THE REPUBLIC BANK CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE:
First started in 2013, the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. The broadcast and digital viewership in 2023 was 853.5million to make it one of the most watched leagues in world cricket. Guyana Amazon Warriors are the current Republic Bank CPL champions, and the other franchise teams are Barbados Royals, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Saint Lucia Kings, Trinbago Knight Riders. In 2024 these teams will be joined by a franchise based in Antigua.
For further information visit www.cplt20.c
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