The Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Is Returning to Barbados in November

By: - August 31st, 2026
the new sam lord's castle
The Wyndham Grand Sam Lord's Castle resort.

The Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum is returning to Barbados this November, bringing together hotel executives, tourism leaders, suppliers and industry stakeholders for three days of meetings, educational sessions and networking.

Known as CHIEF, the annual Caribbean hospitality event will be held Nov. 16-18, 2026 at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort.

Registration is now open for this year’s conference, according to organizers.

The event has become one of the Caribbean’s leading gatherings focused specifically on the hotel and hospitality sector, with programming centered on the issues facing operators across the region.

This year’s agenda will include sessions focused on new ideas and strategies for the Caribbean hospitality industry, along with discussions designed to give attendees practical information they can bring back to their properties and companies.

The conference will also put a significant emphasis on networking, connecting hoteliers with other industry executives and potential partners from across the Caribbean.

Another component will be the Exchange Hub, a marketplace where attendees can learn about new products and services for the hospitality sector and meet directly with suppliers.

The overarching focus for CHIEF 2026 is on practical strategies for operating and growing hospitality businesses, with the conference bringing together both the educational and business-development sides of the industry.

The choice of Barbados continues the island’s growing profile as a destination for major Caribbean tourism and hospitality conferences.

The Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort, which opened in 2023 on the island’s southeastern coast, will serve as the host property for the three-day event.

CHIEF is organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, whose membership includes hotel and tourism companies and national hotel associations from across the region.

The 2026 edition runs from Nov. 16 through Nov. 18 in Barbados. Registration and the conference session schedule are now available through CHIEF.

News

This Caribbean Island Is Famous for Adventure, Authenticity, and Romance — and It Getting a Big Winter Airlift Boost From American Airlines

caribbean island st kitts sunset reef hotel

The Caribbean island of St. Kitts is getting a major winter airlift increase from American Airlines, with two daily Miami flights beginning Dec. 17 and continuing through April 5, 2027. The rainforest rises toward Mount Liamuiga, centuries of history remain visible at Brimstone Hill, and the hills of the southeast peninsula descend toward some of […]

News

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Is Having a Hotel Boom, With a $70 Million Newcomer, a New Marriott, and a 1 Hotel Debut

san miguel de allende hotels

San Miguel de Allende’s hotel boom stretches from the newly-opened Pueblo Bonito Vantage and Marriott’s Cleviá to a coming 1 Hotel, building on a luxury scene led by Rosewood and a collection of distinctive independent boutiques. Pueblo Bonito Vantage San Miguel de Allende has opened after a $70 million investment. Cleviá, San Miguel de Allende, […]

News

Bonaire Sits Outside the Hurricane Belt, With Dive Lodges, Beach Villas, and Adults-Only Pool Suites

bonaire hurricane belt

Bonaire sits outside the main hurricane belt, making it an especially compelling Caribbean escape in late summer and fall — with dive resorts, beachfront villas and adults-only boutique stays. There’s a reason Bonaire starts looking particularly interesting as the Caribbean moves through late summer and into fall: the Dutch Caribbean island sits outside the main […]


Aerolíneas Argentinas Is Launching Its First-Ever Flights to Curaçao

The Dutch Caribbean has quietly become one of the region’s biggest success stories in attracting travelers from South America. Geography certainly helps: Aruba and Curaçao sit just off the coast of Venezuela, significantly closer to much of northern South America than most Caribbean destinations. But proximity is only part of it. Both islands have made […]

Barbados Has a Weekly JetBlue Flight From Boston. Here Are Three Ways to Do the Island.

JetBlue’s Saturday nonstop from Boston opens up a Barbados vacation that can take you from the west coast and Speightstown to the south coast and Bathsheba, with three hotels that put you in the middle of each. Blue Monkey Hotel & Beach Club, The Rockley and Atlantis Historic Inn could hardly give you three more […]

$90 Million Hybrid Power Project Moves Ahead in Abaco, Combining Solar, Natural Gas, and Battery Storage

The Dutch Caribbean has quietly become one of the region’s biggest success stories in attracting travelers from South America. Geography certainly helps: Aruba and Curaçao sit just off the coast of Venezuela, significantly closer to much of northern South America than most Caribbean destinations. But proximity is only part of it. Both islands have made […]

The Best New All-Inclusive Resort in the Caribbean Is Actually Three of Them

In Punta Cana, Lopesan has opened three connected all-inclusive resorts — one built around a lagoon, one reserved for adults and one centered on family fun — creating what amounts to three different ways to book the Caribbean’s most exciting new resort. Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort, Spa & Casino, Lopesan Serenity Bay Resort, Spa & […]