Barbados Will Host Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2027

By: - June 12th, 2026
caribbean island barbados jetblue
Barbados.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association announced the news at this year’s Marketplace in Antigua, marking the 45th edition of the historic event.

Barbados has been named the host destination for Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2027, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association‘s annual business-to-business tourism event and the most important industry gathering in the region.

The announcement was made by CHTA at this year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua, and represents a notable win for the Barbados tourism industry — a meaningful endorsement of the destination’s tourism product, infrastructure and leadership role across the broader Caribbean.

The 2027 edition will mark the 45th annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace, one of the longest-running industry trade events in the region. The event connects global tourism buyers with Caribbean suppliers — destinations, hotels, attractions, transportation companies and tourism partners — through pre-scheduled business meetings designed to generate tangible commercial outcomes across both the Caribbean and key international source markets.

“Barbados has long played an important leadership role in Caribbean tourism and within CHTA,” said Vanessa Ledesma, chief executive officer of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. “We are thrilled to bring Caribbean Travel Marketplace to Barbados in 2027, marking the 45th edition of this historic event. We look forward to delivering a reimagined, elevated attendee experience with innovative formats and deeper global business opportunities.”

The selection is a significant moment for Barbados, which has been one of the strongest-performing destinations in the wider Caribbean over the last several years, with steady growth in stay-over arrivals from both the United States and the United Kingdom, expanding airlift through Grantley Adams International Airport, and a deepening hotel pipeline that includes recent and upcoming openings across the Platinum Coast and beyond.

“Hosting Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2027 is an important opportunity for Barbados and a reflection of the confidence placed in our tourism product, our people, and our infrastructure,” said the Honourable G.P. Ian Gooding-Edghill, Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport. “It will create economic value, strengthen regional collaboration, and further position Barbados as a leader in Caribbean tourism.”

The announcement was also welcomed by the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, the destination’s leading industry body.

“On behalf of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association and the wider local industry, we are honoured to welcome CHTA Marketplace 2027 to Barbados,” said Javon Griffith, chairman of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association. “This event is where relationships are built, business is advanced, and our destination is showcased to the world. We look forward to welcoming delegates with the very best of Bajan hospitality.”

What’s Next

Additional details regarding Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2027 — including venues, dates, and registration information — will be announced by CHTA in the coming months.

The 2027 edition follows what was widely regarded as a strong Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda this year, with the destination using the event to spotlight a 6.7 percent jump in first-quarter arrivals and a broader push to position itself as one of the most-watched Caribbean tourism markets of the moment.

The selection of Barbados as the 2027 host extends the broader rotation of the event across major Caribbean tourism destinations — and gives the island a meaningful regional platform at a moment of strong tourism momentum.

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