Last week’s 43rd Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM), hosted by Antigua and Barbuda, kicked off with the Caribbean Travel Forum 2025, held at the Sandals Grande Antigua. This gathering, organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), set the stage for a comprehensive discussion on the region’s tourism model in an ever-changing global landscape.
Following the forum, the Caribbean Travel Marketplace continued on May 20 and 21 at the modern American University Antigua, facilitating one-on-one business appointments between international buyers and tourism suppliers. The marketplace brought together approximately 800 tourism stakeholders, resulting in over 9,300 business meetings.
Across the two days, island-centric press conferences highlighted that infrastructure development continues, with several nations announcing new airport expansions, cruise port enhancements and hotel developments, reflecting confidence in the region’s long-term tourism potential despite global economic uncertainties.
And because all work and no play in the Caribbean isn’t a thing, attendees were treated to a grand opening party at Weatherills Estate for an evening of local drink, food and music (including the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra, youth steel orchestras, DJs and other live performers), as well as a closing “Wicket Fete” at the Coolidge Cricket Grounds, the iconic home of Cricket West Indies, complete with its own round of live music, performances, food and beverage.
Caribbean Business
CHTA CEO Vanessa Ledesma and President Sanovnik Destang welcomed public and private sector leaders to the Caribbean Travel Forum, a day focused on analyzing trends, challenges and opportunities for Caribbean tourism. The Honorable Charles Fernandez, Minister of Tourism of Antigua and Barbuda, served as host and moderator for a key panel on sustainable tourism in the region.
Olivier Ponti from ForwardKeys presented the “Caribbean Travel Trends 2025” report, offering insights into traveler behavior and destinations with the highest growth potential. According to ForwardKeys, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are leading in tourist interest, while source markets like Mexico, Colombia and Brazil show significant increases in flight searches to the Caribbean.
The forum featured other forward-looking panels that addressed key challenges in the Caribbean tourism sector. Zeek Coleman from Tourism Economics explored the impact of global instability on regional tourism and strategies to navigate uncertainty in a session on geopolitical and economic disruptions. Carl Gordon presented insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute, mapping out trends for the Caribbean’s near future as part of the Mastercard Global Travel Trends 2025 discussion. And, a panel on intra-Caribbean airlift solutions brought together tourism authorities and aviation sector representatives to discuss improving regional air connectivity.
The forum also focused on effective tourism linkages, examining ways to connect tourism demand with local economies to boost sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and cultural experiences. Antigua and Barbuda took center stage in the sustainable tourism practices panel, showcasing innovative projects like the restoration of Redonda and reef rehabilitation plans.
The Caribbean Travel Forum 2025 and subsequent marketplace events showcased the region’s readiness to redefine its tourism future as the industry navigates post-pandemic recovery and adapts to evolving traveler expectations.
For more information, visit chtamarketplace.com.
