Antigua & Barbuda to Host CTO’s 2027 State of the Tourism Industry Conference
by Bruce Parkinson
From left, CTO Director of Research Aliyyah Shakeer; Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority CEO Colin James; Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism Charles “Max” Fernandez; CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper; CTO Business Development and Marketing Manager Taraneh Azimi; and Sean Cenac, permanent secretary in Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Tourism.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced that Antigua and Barbuda will host the 2027 State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) Oct. 4-8, 2027, bringing the region’s leading tourism forum to the twin-island nation.
The announcement was made during the final day of SOTIC 2026 in Georgetown, Guyana, where tourism ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, private-sector executives, regional and international partners, academics, media, young people and other industry stakeholders gathered to examine the issues shaping Caribbean tourism.
“Antigua and Barbuda has demonstrated a strong commitment to tourism development and regional collaboration, and we look forward to bringing the Caribbean tourism community together there for SOTIC 2027,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, secretary-general and CEO of CTO.
“Each SOTIC gives us an important opportunity to examine the issues affecting our industry, share knowledge and strengthen the partnerships that will help Caribbean tourism remain competitive, sustainable and inclusive.”
Charles “Max” Fernandez, Antigua and Barbuda’s minister of tourism, civil aviation, transportation and investments and the newly elected CTO chairman, welcomed the announcement, saying the destination looks forward to hosting tourism leaders and partners from across the region and beyond.
“Antigua and Barbuda is honored to welcome the Caribbean tourism community for SOTIC 2027,” Fernandez said. “We look forward to sharing the warmth and hospitality of our people while providing a setting for meaningful dialogue about the opportunities and challenges ahead.
“Hosting SOTIC will also allow us to showcase the continued evolution and advancement of our tourism product and the experiences that distinguish our twin-island destination. We are deeply committed to the Caribbean and to working with our regional partners to strengthen tourism as a force for shared prosperity, resilience and opportunity across our region.”
Regis-Prosper thanked the government of Guyana and its tourism partners for hosting SOTIC 2026 and said the transition to Antigua and Barbuda reflects CTO’s continued commitment to taking its flagship conference across the region.
Additional information on SOTIC 2027, including the conference theme, program, registration and accommodations, will be announced in the coming months.
