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Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association ( CHTA ) announces Exciting New Additions for Caribbean Travel Marketplace in JamaicaFavoriteThe 42nd edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association ( CHTA )’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Center from May 20 through May 23, 2024. This year’s event introduces new features and is broken down into three distinct lines, making it easier and more interesting for attendees. At a recent press event titled” Caribbean Fireworks” in Kingston, CHTA President Nicola Madden- Greig announced the show’s ascent with three distinct focuses: The Business of Tourism, encapsulated in the Caribbean Travel Forum, the Marketing of Tourism through the CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace, and the Community of Tourism, highlighted by the annual Responsible Tourism Day. On May 20, the Caribbean Travel Forum will begin with” Visioning a New Tourism Landscape for the Caribbean,” which will cover the theme. The Destination Endurance honors and the President’s Award for Excellence in Caribbean Tourism will be presented at an awards luncheon to honor business excellence. The Concerned Tourism Day, aligning with Jamaica’s Labour Day on May 23, may light efforts towards climate change mitigation, green growth, and the improvement of agricultural connections, underscoring the importance of properly managing tourism communities. Madden- Greig highlighted the introduction of a dedicated Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions ( MICE ) itinerary for the first time, with 20 meeting planners attending the inaugural Caribbean MICE Exchange. She emphasized the important potential of the MICE business, which was projected to increase by 2032 and generated over US$ 900 billion globally in 2023. She remarked,” It is time for the Caribbean to concentrate on getting a bigger slice of that very significant pie.” A select group will take part in the first multi-destination media tour through Jamaica, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands, along with 50 journalists from around the region and around the world. This initiative aims to promote combined travel experiences in the Caribbean and highlight the vibrant cultural diversity of these nations. Madden- Greig has announced that the Marketplace is anticipating the participation of 150 purchasing entities, drawing keen interest from Asia, Europe, and Latin America. 86 purchasing organizations have signed up so far, which is more than twice the amount at the same time last year. Notably, 14 newcomer companies from nations such as Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, the UK, and the USA have made their registration. The Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association ( JHTA ) President, Robin Russell, argued that the Marketplace offers excellent opportunities and access for hoteliers and tourism suppliers. Every aspect of the business, from tour operators to travel agents, you can interact with the very top of the chain, he said.” Everyone who wants to do business comes to Marketplace.” He continued,” It is probably the only opportunity you’re going to get” for small businesses unless you spend a lot of money communicating with these people. “( Caribbean Travel Marketplace ) is not an event in the context of a single activity, but it’s an opportunity, a great opportunity for us as a Caribbean people, not just to showcase the strength and power of our assets, but also to provide leadership with innovation”, said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, who thanked CHTA for selecting Jamaica to host this important gathering of tourism stakeholders. Reflecting on the Caribbean’s performance in 2023, Madden- Greig noted a three percent growth over 2019, according to data from ForwardKeys. She stressed the value of staying positive, especially with the region’s planned or under construction over 59, 000 hotel rooms, according to STR. Events like CHTA Marketplace must continue to provide for our region, she said,” we cannot rest on our laurels because there is the potential for even more impressive growth.” The event is set to attract nearly 1, 000 attendees, with about 150 supplying firms from across the Caribbean ready to engage. To date, entities from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint- Martin, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the U. S. Virgin Islands have confirmed their participation. Share On: Subscribe to our Newsletters « Back to PageFollow Travel And Tour World in Google NewsRelated Posts
