Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C. James said that local tourism businesses are expected to benefit beyond the Caribbean Travel Marketplace through continued international media coverage and direct product exposure.
Benefits Beyond Caribbean Travel
“Having a crew of 40-odd international press from the hospitality sector in Antigua can only be good news for us because they do help us to tell our story and to really help to raise the profile of the destination,” James said.
He said the presence of international travel media will help sustain visibility for Antigua and Barbuda in key overseas markets beyond the duration of the event.
James said hinted towards other ways local products and businesses will be promoted beyond media coverage.
“I’ll give you an example. For the gift bags for all our delegates, it’s going to include the local jam, the local hot sauce, the local things that we make and we produce,” he said.
The inclusion of local goods is expected to provide additional exposure for small businesses among the hundreds of tourism industry partners expected to attend the event.
James added that, based on experience from last year, he is confident in the country’s ability to host in excess of 500 delegates across multiple hotels, with local transport providers contracted to move visitors between the airport, accommodation sites and the conference venue.
“Very efficiently like we did it last year. We’re using as many of the hotels as possible, particularly on the northern corridor going up east where we can get them to the conference centre quite efficiently and effortlessly in the morning. We utilize the service of our local transportation providers,” he said.
The 44th Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be held from May 12–15, 2026, at the American University of Antigua Conference Centre.
