From left: Frank J. Comito, CEO & General Director, CHTA, Joy Jibrilu, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas, Colin C. James, CEO, ABTA, Hon. Obediah H. Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism, Bahamas, Kim Jack Riley, Director of Tourism, US, ABTA, Colin Skerritt, Director of Tourism, Canada, ABTA, Dean Fenton, Sales and Marketing Manager, ABTA
February 3, 2017 (New York, NY) – Antigua and Barbuda is celebrating
the
success of its
participation in the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the region’s largest and most significant marketing forum staged by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) in Nassau, Bahamas from January 31 – February 2, 2017 at Atlantis, Paradise Found. The Caribbean Travel Marketplace is the premier annual event for more than 1,200 Caribbean Hoteliers, Tourist Boards, Tour Operators and Attractions to gather for high-impact one-on-one business meetings, knowledge sharing and networking.
The Antigua and Barbuda delegation was led by the Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Board, Ricky Skerritt, with CEO of the Tourism Authority, Colin James, and joined by Director of Tourism, US, Kim Jack Riley and Director of Tourism, Canada, Colin Skerritt and Dean Fenton, Sales and Marketing Manager. As a key delegation, Antigua and Barbuda was able to connect in one place with over 350 suppliers from 26 plus Caribbean countries and met with the top tour operators, airlines, travel agencies, OTAs and media houses, as well as the top travel and trade publications in attendance. The marketplace is the best opportunity to generate last-minute seasonal business while setting the state for long-term business and enhancing the relationship between Antigua and Barbuda, hoteliers, buying companies and leaders in the industry.
Team Antigua and Barbuda were also joined by leading hotelier and industry partners that included Cocos, Blue Waters, Heritage Bay, Carlisle Bay, Sugar Ridge, and National Tours who all had successful meetings with their industry buyers. These business opportunities are critical to ensure the destination continues the momentum for growth that was achieved in 2016 into the new year.
Key tour operators from Europe and North America expressed confidence in the country’s product and were optimistic of the prospects for growth for 2017.
Caribbean Travel Marketplace affords tourism suppliers the vital opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation packages over the course of two days of business meetings as well as senior Tourism officials from attending countries. This year that were even more buyers, suppliers and countries in attendance, representing over 1,200 delegates.
