Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of the 43rd Caribbean Travel Marketplace for the first time has generated over 9,000 business meetings and appointments, establishing the country as a serious contender in the business tourism sector.
CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin James said he was “extremely proud as an Antiguan and Barbudan” to be hosting the prestigious regional tourism trade event.
“As you can see from the floor, over 9,000 business meetings and appointments have been set. It’s really, really great for the destination business to business,” James told Observer media from the American University of Antigua (AUA) Conference Centre.
The event has drawn tourism stakeholders from across the Caribbean along with buyers from source markets including Europe, Latin America, and the United States, all gathering to negotiate contracts and establish business relationships.
James remarked that the marketplace puts Antigua and Barbuda “on the map as a tourism destination” while demonstrating the country’s capacity to host large exhibitions.
The presence of more than 48 media representatives covering the event provides invaluable exposure for the destination, according to James.
“It helps us to tell our story and them having a great experience and writing about our product. Showcasing what we have to offer helps us to promote the destination,” said James.
He noted that the media coverage generated would be impossible to purchase, adding that destinations that have previously hosted the Caribbean Marketplace typically experience “a phenomenal spurt in visitor arrival” the following year.
“The travel ambassadors, the tour operators, the people who sell vacations and holidays, they are here. They’re experiencing it and they’re going to sell it,” James said.
The Tourism Authority CEO highlighted the importance of hosting such an event during the traditionally slower tourism period, explaining that it demonstrates Antigua and Barbuda’s capability as an “all year-round destination” that can accommodate large groups and events.
“We are actually targeting group business so that we can keep more restaurants open, more hoteliers at full staff complement and really make sure that this destination has a strong visitor arrival profile throughout the entire year and not just from November to April,” he stated.
James said the Tourism Ministry has directed its overseas offices to pursue the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) market to maintain momentum during the slower months and support consistent airlift to the destination.
“Once the airlines can have satisfactory loads into the destination, it means we can attract more lift from not just our major markets, but also as we expand to new cities,” James said.
The CEO revealed he had “an excellent discussion” with AUA’s Chief Operating Officer, Vernon Solomon, about the continual utilisation of the facility by the government — which was originally intended simply as a student conference hall — a venue that James believes presents significant opportunities for hosting future business events.
“It’s very ingenious. We have a facility, we have an airport, we have hotel product and hotel rooms. Let’s let everything work together so that we can tap into a new segment of the market,” the CEO said.
He added that Antigua and Barbuda is now “firmly in the MICE market and we intend to really go after it in a really, really big way”.
