The Caribbean’s biggest travel conference is coming to the land of 365 beaches. Next May, Antigua and Barbuda is hosting the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference. 

The announcement was made during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference in Grand Cayman, where Caribbean Journal is reporting on the ground. 

The annual “Marketplace” event brings together buyers, suppliers and travel industry stakeholders from around the world. 

“Marketplace is undisputedly the Caribbean’s largest and premier marketing event, and we are delighted that Antigua and Barbuda will be the site for this important gathering of Caribbean suppliers and global buyers, where new and established stakeholders can gain access to the diverse offerings of travel products and experiences throughout the region,” CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig told Caribbean Journal. 

Next year’s event, which runs May 18-22, is expected to attract up to two thousand delegates. 

“With major infrastructure and hotel developments as well as robust airlift, the twin island destination is not only a premier regional destination but conveniently accessible to travelers. As a natural hub for the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda is served by every major airline flying to the region. That makes us accessible from all primary and secondary markets in The Americas, UK/Europe and the Caribbean, by nonstop service and easy connections,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles “Max” Fernandez. 

The news comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues to put up significant tourism numbers, a trend that has continued since the destination’s tourism reopening during the pandemic. 

“With a 16 percent increase in stay-over arrivals this year, surpassing 2019’s record levels, our twin-island nation has become a focal point for international travel and investment,” said Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “The conference is anticipated to draw up to two thousand attendees, further establishing the destination as a prime location for the key MICE (Meetings, Incentives Conferences, and Exhibitions) market.”

The event will be hosted at the new conference facility at the American University of Antigua, which played host to the recent United Nations Small Island Developing States conference.