by Brian Major
Last updated: 1:25 PM ET, Fri March 15, 2024
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)’s annual
Marketplace conference on May 20 to 23 will spotlight a multi-year triumph for regional tourism since 2019, as Caribbean
visitor arrivals during the period have outpaced virtually every other global destination.
“Our collective efforts to market the region through
events such as Caribbean Travel Marketplace [and] tourism boards, hotel
associations and individual stakeholders have the Caribbean holding pride of
place as of the fastest recovering region post-pandemic,” said Nicola
Madden-Greig, CHTA’s president.
At a March 15 briefing for media briefing, Madden-Greig cited data from travel research firm Forward Keys that
reports the Caribbean posted “an impressive three percent growth over 2019,” in
2023. Indeed, Forward Keys found the Caribbean was the sole international region to record a
visitor growth increase during the period.
Conversely, Asia/Pacific (41 percent decline) and Europe
(down 22 percent) endured profound visitor growth downturns while the Americas
(down 14 percent) and Africa and the Middle East (down 12 percent) also
suffered double-digit declines, according to Forward Keys statistics.
Madden Greig said Caribbean countries however “cannot
rest on our laurels, as the potential for even more impressive growth is
possible with over 59,000 projected new hotel rooms planned or in progress for
the region over the next few years.”
Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Photo by Jessica Zickefoose)
Calling the Marketplace conference “an opportunity to
show our [regional] strength and assets,” and “provide leadership through
innovation,” Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister, said the gathering also
represents a watershed moment for Caribbean tourism.
“The region is now ready to pivot, to take a perspective of
itself in this post-COVID era,” Bartlett said at the briefing. "Responsible tourism is perhaps at the heart of the
innovation that we speak about. How do we as a region transform
ourselves into the go-to destination[s] of the future?"
He opined, “It is projected that in the next 25 years, 1.5
billion more tourists will be traversing the world. Where will they be going?
Where will they be coming from? Where will the Caribbean stand? Are we making
ourselves ready and prepared to receive that additional 1.5 billion visitors?"
Said Bartlett, "Listening
today to what this Marketplace portends for us gives me hope for this ‘future-proofing’
of Caribbean tourism.”
Madden-Greig said the conference agenda will examine the “business
of Caribbean tourism” through sessions including the May 20 Caribbean Travel Forum, whose theme
is “Visioning a New Tourism Landscape for the Caribbean.”
The program also includes a State of the Industry address
where “[CHTA] will share both historical and forecast data from our data partners,”
said Madden-Greig.
Additionally, “our public/private sector panel will focus
on the key issues for the region such as multi-destination travel,
intra-Caribbean travel with an emphasis on air connectivity, sustainability,
technology innovation, labor market, linkages, and exogenous factors,” she said.
CHTA will also arrange for “50 regional and international
media representatives on the island to engage with our Caribbean delegates and
share the news of the richness and diversity of our region,” said Madden-Greig. “Events such as CHTA Marketplace must continue to deliver
for our region."
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