ST. JOHN’S – Strong tourism growth, increased international demand, event marketing, and major infrastructure investments dominated discussions during the second day of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2026 taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from May 12 to 15.
Curaçao Chronicle is attending the event by invitation of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), which organizes the Caribbean’s largest tourism business forum.
The second day featured several high-level destination presentations and press conferences from tourism leaders across the Caribbean region.
Antigua & Barbuda Highlights Tourism Growth
The opening press conference was led by Antigua & Barbuda officials, including Tourism, Civil Aviation and Investment Minister Charles Fernandez, Colin James, and Brian Murphy.
The officials expressed strong optimism about continued tourism growth on the islands and highlighted Antigua & Barbuda’s expanding role as a major Caribbean tourism hub.
According to the presenters, hosting the Caribbean Travel Marketplace for a second consecutive year reflects growing international confidence in Antigua & Barbuda’s tourism product and infrastructure.
The delegation emphasized increasing visitor arrivals, strong airlift connectivity, and the economic importance of tourism for the islands.
Saint Lucia Focuses on Events and Sports Tourism
Saint Lucia was the second destination to present during the press conference.
Representatives Louis Lewis and Dexter Percil highlighted the success of the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, which continues attracting large numbers of visitors to the island.
Saint Lucia officials stressed that event marketing remains a central pillar of the island’s tourism strategy.
They also pointed to growing investments in sports tourism and outdoor activities, including sailing, diving, hiking, cricket, and wellness tourism, as part of efforts to diversify the destination’s appeal to international travelers.
Saint Kitts & Nevis Promote Culture, Diving, and Heritage
Saint Kitts and Nevis followed with presentations from Kelly Fontenelle and Andia Ravarriere.
The destination emphasized its growing international visibility and strong positioning within the diving, cultural, and adventure tourism markets.
Officials also highlighted major events such as the St. Kitts Music Festival and Carnival celebrations as important drivers of tourism growth.
Nevis representatives focused heavily on luxury tourism, beaches, boutique hotels, eco-adventures, and the island’s historical significance.
Officials noted that Nevis is home to what is considered the Caribbean’s first hotel, the historic Bath Hotel, originally established in the 18th century.
Turks & Caicos Highlights Investments and Infrastructure
Turks and Caicos Islands closed the presentations with strong messaging about global tourism demand and infrastructure expansion.
According to Permanent Secretary Wesley Clerveaux, the continued global demand for Turks & Caicos reflects growing international trust in the destination.
Officials highlighted ongoing investments in hotels, airports, tourism infrastructure, and real estate developments.
The territory said it remains optimistic about continued growth from major source markets such as the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.
Regional Tourism Industry Shows Strong Confidence
A recurring theme throughout the second day of Caribbean Travel Marketplace was the strong confidence Caribbean destinations currently have in tourism growth prospects.
Despite global geopolitical uncertainty and economic challenges, regional tourism officials consistently pointed to increasing visitor arrivals, strong demand from North America and Europe, expanding airlift, and new tourism investments.
The Caribbean Travel Marketplace brings together hundreds of tourism stakeholders, buyers, suppliers, hotel executives, and tourism authorities from across the region and internationally.