Montego Bay, Jamaica Is Hosting the Caribbean’s Biggest Travel Conference Next Month

By: - April 8th, 2024
montego bay jamaica conference
The Secrets Wild Orchid resort in Montego Bay.

Hotel companies. Tour operators. Airlines. Tourist boards. Meeting planners. Travel advisors. Media professionals. Caribbean Travel Marketplace is the world’s biggest Caribbean travel conference, and it’s back again this year in the heart of Montego Bay, Jamaica. 

This year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace is being hosted at the Montego Bay Convention Center, the 42nd annual staging of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s signature event, running from May 20-23, 2024. 

The event, which brings together buyers and suppliers for the Caribbean’s biggest industry, 

This year’s event will have some new additions, including the incorporation of meetings and incentive industry with the first-ever Caribbean MICE Exchange, hosting 20 of the top meeting planners in the industry. 

the montego bay convention center is hosting
The Montego Bay Convention Center.

That’s along with signatures like the Caribbean Travel Forum, which focuses on “Visioning a New Tourism Landscape for the Caribbean,” and an awards luncheon for the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year and the Destination Resilience award, among others. 

More than 150 buyer companies are already signed on to attend, joined by 86 buyer companies. That includes 14 new companies from the European market. 

“We’re thrilled to be heading back to Jamaica for the Caribbean Travel Marketplace! The response from buyers has been really promising. And now, with the addition of other markets like MICE Buyers, Travel Advisors, and Wedding Planners, there’s even more opportunity for sellers,” CHTA Acting CEO and Director General Vanessa Ledesma told Caribbean Journal. “It’s a fantastic chance to meet a diverse range of qualified buyers and industry players all in one spot, saving you on time and travel expenses.”

Other innovations include the new Marketplace Responsible Tourism Day, which gives members and attendees a chance to “directly give back to the community,” Ledesma said. 

“While Marketplace contributes to the destination as a whole, Responsible Tourism Day ensures a direct impact on the Montego Bay Community. Going forward, Responsible Tourism Day will be a permanent part of the Marketplace program,” she said. 

Overall, some 1,000 delegates are expected to attend this year’s conference, including representatives from destinations ranging from Antigua and Barbuda to the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

If you’re involved in the business of Caribbean tourism and hospitality, it’s something you simply cannot miss. 

To learn more about how to register, visit Caribbean Travel Marketplace. 

News

The British Virgin Islands’ Big Diving Event Is Back 

 bvi wreck

The British Virgin Islands’ beloved diving event is back this summer with the return of BVI Wreck Week.  The weeklong celebration organized by the BVI Scuba Organization focuses on the myriad wrecks and “art reefs” that dot the undersea landscape in the BVI.  Festvaigloers will be able to dive legendary pirate ships, World War II-era […]

Events

Rick Ross, Third World Among Stars for St Kitts Music Festival 

 stage with performers

The Caribbean’s hottest music event has announced the first wave of music stars for the 26th annual edition of the St Kitts Music Festival, which runs this year from June 22-30, with high-profile stars ranging from Rick Ross to Third World and the Small Axe Band, among others. It’s an all-star lineup that also includes […]

CJ Invest

Is Canouan the Next Caribbean Luxury Real Estate Hotspot? 

 canouan

Whether stepping foot on Canouan for the first time or seeing its green Mount Royal peak and coastal posh surroundings from afar, there’s a visible vibe. And, that vibe is ultra-luxurious. Compared to its St. Vincent and the Grenadines counterparts like the islands of Mustique and Bequia – many of which are regarded as playgrounds […]

turks and caicos triton villa with view

Turks and Caicos Villa on the Market for $40M

 A luxury villa on Long Bay in Providenciales is on the market for $40 million. The Triton Luxury Villa, which has been listed in the past for $30 million (as recently as 2022), is on the market with Ian Hurdle of The Agency in Turks and Caicos. The 14-bedroom, 13-bathroom home has undergone a further […]
dominican republic resorts hyatt pool

Playa: All-Inclusive Market Shifting Toward Luxury

 Fernando Mulet joined Playa Resorts in 2006. Through his nearly two decades guiding the now publicly-traded, heavy-hitter in the all-inclusive space, he’s seen an evolution. What once was an industry dominated by Spanish family-owned hotel companies has diversified with an infusion of global brands. Today, Mulet serves as executive vice president and chief investment officer […]
marriott all-inclusive isla mujeres

From a St Regis to a JW Marriott, AB Living Keeps Growing Its Mexican Caribbean Pipeline

 A luxury villa on Long Bay in Providenciales is on the market for $40 million. The Triton Luxury Villa, which has been listed in the past for $30 million (as recently as 2022), is on the market with Ian Hurdle of The Agency in Turks and Caicos. The 14-bedroom, 13-bathroom home has undergone a further […]
kimpton las mercedes with rooftop pool and bar

First Grand Cayman, Tulum and Roatan. Now Kimpton Is Opening in the Dominican Republic 

 Locally-focused restaurants, sleek lobbies, thoughtful service and a reinvention of how hotels do happy hour. Kimpton has always been a unique hotel brand; but it wasn’t until 2016 that the company actually came to the Caribbean, with the outstanding Kimpton Seafire in Grand Cayman. It was another six years later that the company opened its […]