Against a backdrop of palm trees, passion, and possibility, the 43rd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace launched this week in Antigua & Barbuda — and it’s not business as usual.

TravelPulse Canada is on site, where nearly 800 delegates from across the globe have gathered for the region’s most influential tourism event.

With a refreshed format and a future-focused agenda, Marketplace 43 is not only about selling the Caribbean — it’s about redefining it.

Antigua and Barbuda is celebrating a tourism milestone of its own, with stayover arrivals surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

“With a 16% increase in stayover arrivals this year, surpassing 2019’s record levels, our twin-island nation has become a focal point for international travel and investment,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

“From an exciting Culinary Month, to celebrating the 300th anniversary of Nelson’s Dockyard, and for the first time ever – Antigua and Barbuda playing host to the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace… 2025 will be a packed year,” said James.

A Marketplace of Firsts

“This is a human connection. This is an opportunity to come together to shake hands, to hug, to see faces. It’s not transactional. It is very much about partnerships, it’s very much about relationships, it’s very much about engaging and understanding each other’s needs and opportunities,” said Karen Whitt, CHTA 1st Vice President and Chair of the Marketplace.

This year marks the first time Antigua & Barbuda has hosted the Marketplace and only the third time the event has been held in the Eastern Caribbean.

The island has transformed its traditional event infrastructure, enabling the gathering through what CHTA called a “re-imagination” of the Marketplace experience.

By the Numbers

The 2025 edition has welcomed close to 780 delegates, 173 suppliers from 25 Caribbean destinations, and 83 buyer companies from 16 international markets — including Canada, the United States, Argentina, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the UAE.

According to CHTA, more than 9,300 appointments were scheduled between buyers and sellers, a significant milestone for the regional event.

Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts and President of CHTA, outlined a sweeping vision during the press conference, focused on “innovation, sustainability, and collaboration.”

“We’ve added some new components, some that I’m very, very proud of,” Destang said. “I’ve always said that three of the pillars that I certainly want to base my presidency on are people development, integrating technology into how we do hospitality, and of course linkages — linking tourism to other aspects of the economy.”

Key new features include:

• The first-ever Linkages Trade Show, showcasing suppliers, manufacturers, and businesses from sectors like agriculture.
• The inaugural Direct Booking Summit – Caribbean Edition, focused on empowering hoteliers with digital tools and online marketing strategies. “We have 80 delegates, and that is, so far, the largest congregation of Caribbean hotels at a digital marketing conference,” said Destang.
• The second annual Responsible Tourism Day, which included a $10,000 donation to support communities impacted by recent flooding in Antigua and other islands. “Seed funding for a larger campaign that we’re going to be launching… to get buyers and sellers to really do real responsible tourism in real time,” Destang said.

Canada in Focus

Destang also acknowledged a notable rise in Canadian travel interest — and a gap in airlift capacity.

“Our data partner showed clearly that there is a tremendous increase in interest based on travel searches and travel intent for Canadians coming to the Caribbean,” he said.

And it’s a market he knows well.

“I lived in Toronto for 11 years, and actually, I’m Canadian as well.

“What we have to do… is get that information to the airlines and to get the planes reconfigured and rerouted to the Caribbean.

“A lot of destinations are reshifting their focus to alternative markets, and Canada is one of them.”

TravelPulse Canada will continue reporting from Antigua as the Marketplace continues through the week.