Next Caribbean Marketplace to be Held in Barbados This May

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) held a virtual press conference Friday afternoon announcing that its next Caribbean Marketplace conference will be held in Barbados this May.

Barbados will host the 41st edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace from May 9-11, 2023.

It was also announced that the CHTA will be bringing back two other popular Caribbean events this year - Taste of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF). No other information was provided about those two events.

CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig announced that the influential trade association’s largest annual event, Caribbean Marketplace, which brings together buyers and sellers of the region’s tourism products and services, will be staged in Barbados for the first time in the organization’s history.

“There will be a focus on new markets, including MICE and destination weddings, as well as introducing a more robust travel advisor program,” said Madden-Greig. “This year, we will focus on expanding our member benefits, and we will actively work to move from recovery to robust growth.”
 
Ian Gooding-Edghill, Barbados’ minister of tourism and international transport, said the Barbados tourism industry was undergoing a major renaissance in the post-COVID environment, and the timing could not be better to welcome Caribbean Travel Marketplace to local soil.

Caribbean Travel Marketplace 41 will build on the success of last fall’s 40th edition, which was held in Puerto Rico.
 
A highlight of the Puerto Rico meeting was the launch of the first Caribbean Travel Forum & Awards, the second edition of which will be held in Barbados on Tuesday, May 9, ahead of the official opening ceremony of Caribbean Travel Marketplace.

The Forum will once again focus on the business of tourism, while business appointments will be held on Wednesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 11.
 
“Our private sector partners, together with the BTMI and the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, are keen to showcase Barbados’ exceptional product and experiences and we cannot wait to welcome you to our island home,” said Renée Coppin, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association.
 
Meanwhile, Madden-Greig noted that this year’s Marketplace will also provide unique access to the Eastern Caribbean for buyers and tour operators as the region places a strong focus on the revival of multi-destination travel.
 
Marketplace will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. Registration details will be available soon.
 
For more information, visit www.chtamarketplace.com.