Antigua hosts tourism chiefs

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority host the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace next week. It comes at an opportune time as the Caribbean prepares for a period in the tourism calendar.

The St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival is in full swing and finishes on May 10. The Martinique Yole Festival runs from May 12-16 around the same time of the St Barth’s Art & Music Week. Then comes the St Kitts Music Festival from June 25-27 before the biggest ones in July and August: Antigua Carnival, Barbados Crop Over and Grenada Spicemas.

The CHTA event runs from May 12-15, at the American University of Antigua.

Colin James, Chief Executive Officer of the CHTA, emphasised the coordinated national effort behind the preparations, noting that public and private sector teams have been working closely to deliver a seamless and impactful experience.

Planning spans all aspects of the event, from the structure of the business-to-business meetings to curated opening and closing events designed to showcase the destination. Beyond facilitating commercial exchanges between buyers and suppliers, the strategy includes immersing visiting media, tour operators and industry professionals in the Antigua and Barbuda experience to strengthen their ability to promote the destination globally.

Antigua and Barbuda recorded its highest-ever January air arrivals this year, alongside continued growth across the cruise and yachting sectors.

The destination is also leveraging its events calendar to sustain interest and drive economic impact. New and established marquee events — including the Antigua Racing Cup and the internationally recognised and recently concluded Antigua Sailing Week — are reinforcing the strength of its nautical tourism offering.

By optimising core pillars such as airlift, cruise and yachting, Antigua and Barbuda expects another bumper year. Delegates at this event will certainly be visiting English Harbour.

CHTA’s Caribbean Travel Forum on May 12 is at Sandals Grande Antigua, immediately preceding the opening of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace.

Now in its 44th year, Marketplace connects suppliers with global distribution partners. Over two days of pre-scheduled meetings, suppliers engage directly with wholesalers, tour operators and travel advisors.