Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation, and Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez, joined other Caribbean tourism leaders in Barbados on May 9th for the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace business meetings.

The day before, Minister Fernandez attended the CHTA’s Caribbean Travel Forum, a new event focused on the business of tourism in the Caribbean. The forum covered specific topics such as multi-destination marketing, intra-Caribbean travel, sustainability, technology innovation, labour market, taxation, and linkages.

During the forum, CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig provided a recap on Caribbean Tourism and the impact of the pandemic on the Caribbean Tourism Industry. Madden-Greig praised the efforts of public sector leaders, including prime ministers and ministers of tourism, as well as the private sector, ministries of health, and CMOs, for the region’s fast recovery.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, in her keynote address, called on attendees to “Be shapers, not takers,” encouraging investment and shared interest in the region’s development. Other discussion topics included responsible and resilience tourism, as well as technology and its impact on Caribbean tourism.

Following the forum, Minister Fernandez shared his vision for Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism industry, which includes continued sustainable tourism development and more opportunities for local businesses and employees.

Antigua and Barbuda Directors of Tourism from the USA, UK & Europe, Caribbean, and Canada also traveled to Barbados for the start of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. The event provides tourism suppliers with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation travel over two days of business meetings.

Overall, the Caribbean Travel Forum and Caribbean Travel Marketplace serve as important events for the Caribbean tourism industry to come together, share ideas, and work towards a brighter future for the region.