Bermuda is set to host one of the Caribbean tourism industry’s most aviation-focused gatherings later this month, with the Caribbean Tourism Organization bringing its Air Connectivity Summit to Hamilton.

The one-day event, titled “Integrating Aviation and Regional Tourism Development,” will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, and is expected to draw senior airline executives, airport leaders, tourism ministers, directors and policymakers from across the region.

The summit is being hosted by CTO in partnership with the Government of Bermuda, and forms part of CTO’s Spring Business Meetings. It also aligns with CTO’s broader Reimagine Plan and the ongoing work of the organization’s Airlift Committee, as the region continues to focus on improving air access and strengthening sustainable tourism growth.

“This summit brings together the people making decisions that directly shape how the region connects with itself and the world,” said CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper. “By uniting ministers, airline leaders, airport authorities and tourism executives in one forum, we are creating a platform for alignment, collaboration and action.”

The event comes at a moment when air connectivity remains one of the region’s most persistent barriers, particularly for intra-Caribbean travel, while long-haul service remains critical to sustaining growth in key visitor markets.

Bermuda, which has continued to position itself as a year-round destination and is now home to BermudAir, is being highlighted as a timely setting for a regional conversation on air access, route development and tourism resilience. Hosting the summit also provides an opportunity for the island to showcase its infrastructure while facilitating high-level dialogue on issues affecting the entire region, from intra-Caribbean routes to long-haul international air service.

Air Connectivity Study, Airline Panels and Ministerial Dialogue

The summit agenda includes a slate of presentations and panels focused on route development, regional travel challenges and the link between aviation growth and tourism performance.

Edmond Rose, Consulting Director of Aviation at ASM Global Route Development, will present the CTO Air Connectivity Study, offering data-driven insights into current regional trends. Rose has more than 25 years of experience in airline planning and slot coordination.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Owen Darrell, Bermuda’s Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport; Ian Gooding-Edghill, Chairman of the CTO Ministerial Council and Barbados’ Minister of Tourism & International Transport; Regis-Prosper; and Erin Wright, COO and Acting CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

The first major airline-focused panel, “Airside Chat I: Route Development – Connecting the Region to the World,”will include executives from major carriers and aviation organizations, including American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Contour Aviation, the Association of Value Airlines and BermudAir. The session will be moderated by Nicolás Gurwicz, Founder and Managing Director of Altura Aviation Consulting.

A second airline panel, “Airside Chat II: Routes Across the Region,” will spotlight regional carriers and tourism stakeholders focused on intra-Caribbean connectivity. Panelists include leaders from interCaribbean Airways, Breeze Travel Solutions, Sunrise Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The session will also include a discussion on the relationship between cruise homeporting and aviation, with participation from Carnival Corporation & plc. The panel will be moderated by Donovan White, Director of Tourism at the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Tourism Ministers Set for Regional Skies Panel

A major portion of the summit will be the ministerial discussion, “Regional Skies – Ministerial Dialogue,” which will bring together tourism and transport leaders from across the Caribbean.

Scheduled participants include Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism for St. Lucia; Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism for Sint Maarten; Cardigan Connor, Minister of Health, Sports & Tourism for Anguilla; Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment for Antigua and Barbuda; along with Ministers Gooding-Edghill and Darrell.

The ministerial panel will be moderated by Beverly Nicholson-Doty, former U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism and former CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, now CEO of Figment Design.

From Runway to Resort: Infrastructure and the Visitor Experience

The summit will also include a dedicated discussion on infrastructure, airport operations and the end-to-end visitor journey, titled “From Runway to Resort – Connecting Aviation & Regional Tourism Development.”

Opening remarks will be delivered by Danny Cohanpour, CEO of Trove Tourism Development Advisors, followed by a panel featuring leaders from Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean, the Bermuda Airport Authority, the BVI Airports Authority, the Bermuda Hotel Association and SITA.

The session will be moderated by Stacey Liburd, Chief Executive Officer of the Grenada Tourism Authority.

Summit reflections and wrap-up will be led by Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands and Chair of CTO’s Airlift Committee, with closing remarks by William “Billy” Griffith, Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

The CTO Air Connectivity Summit is expected to focus heavily on practical issues affecting regional tourism growth, including route development strategy, airline economics, infrastructure investment, and the ongoing challenge of improving air access between Caribbean destinations.