Earlier this week, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) convened leaders from across the Caribbean at the Sandals Grande Antigua for the Caribbean Travel Forum. Topics discussed included:
Travel Trends and Economic Outlook
- Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence and Marketing at ForwardKeys, introduced the latest Caribbean Travel Trends report, predicting growth in travel for 2025 but highlighting shifting traveler behaviors and increased competition.
- Zeek Coleman, Vice President at Tourism Economics, spoke about the current fragility in the global economic landscape and its potential impact on travel.
Experience-Driven Travel
- Carl Gordon from Mastercard shared that travelers are staying longer and spending more on experiences such as wellness and culture.
Critical Issues in Tourism
- James Hepple, Tourism Analytics, noted airlift infrastructure and rising operational costs as top priorities.
Airlift Solutions
The panel, led by Sanovnik Destang, discussed essential improvements needed for intra-Caribbean air connectivity. Key figures included Valerie Damaseau, Mario Reyes, and Claudio Buncamper.
Linking Tourism to Local Economies
- Nicola Madden-Greig emphasized strengthening ties between tourism and local sectors.
Sustainability Initiatives
- Hosted by Charles Fernandez, the sustainability panel featured Diann Black-Layne, Johnella Bradshaw, and Ruleo Camacho, discussing innovative community-led projects in Antigua and Barbuda.
