Region:
America
Category:
Tourism

Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2025: Growing Interest from Latin America and Canada in the Caribbean as a Tourist Destination

  • Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2025: Growing Interest from Latin America and Canada in the Caribbean as a Tourist Destination
    Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2025: Growing Interest from Latin America and Canada in the Caribbean as a Tourist Destination
Region:
America
Category:
Tourism
Author/s:
By Karina Giorgenello @losviajesdekarina, Pablo Pla @pablitopla
Publication date:
Print article

During the 43rd edition of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, held in Antigua and Barbuda, the growing interest from Latin America in the Caribbean as a tourist destination stood out. This was confirmed by Vanessa Ledesma, CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), who emphasized that markets such as Colombia and Canada have increased their searches and bookings for the region, even outside of traditional seasons. The event brought together exhibitors from 25 Caribbean destinations and buyers from 16 source markets, generating more than 9,600 business appointments, reflecting strong commercial dynamism.

Ledesma also highlighted the need to improve intra-regional air and sea connectivity, a key aspect for the development of multi-destination tourism in the Caribbean. The reduction of transport taxes in destinations such as Barbados and Saint Lucia aims to strengthen these routes, while the implementation of a new exhibition format allowed for smoother interaction between exhibitors and buyers. In summary, Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2025 made it clear that Latin America is showing increasing interest and enthusiasm for the Caribbean, and the region is prepared to meet that growing demand.

Vanessa Ledesma, CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), told ABC Mundial that this edition "has been a success." She explained that the revamped event format and strong participation reflect the renewed appetite for the Caribbean.

"The feedback we've received from the exhibitors has been excellent, which is timely given the global economic challenges. It’s a great opportunity to engage with buyers and recognize opportunities, not necessarily in new markets, but in existing ones that are now showing increased interest in the region," she said.

Canada and Latin America on the Rise

One of the most relevant insights from this year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace was the marked increase in interest from Latin American markets in the Caribbean as a destination. Vanessa Ledesma pointed out that countries such as Colombia, among others in the region, have shown increased activity in searches and bookings, positioning themselves as key players in the Caribbean’s tourism expansion strategy. "We’ve seen a clear rise in interest and in the number of searches and bookings from Latin America," she stated. This trend was reflected not only in the event’s statistics but also in direct conversations between exhibitors and tour operators from these countries. Latin America’s active participation signals an important shift in the regional landscape, positioning the Caribbean as an increasingly desirable destination for Latin American travelers.

“It’s interesting to see the number of searches and bookings coming from Canada for the summer. We’ve definitely seen a spike in interest,” she added.

Record Numbers of Business Appointments

One of the main indicators of the event’s success was the number of scheduled business meetings: more than 9,600 confirmed appointments between exhibitors and buyers.

"The number of meetings reflects genuine operator interest in the Caribbean. Although we saw a slight drop in the number of buyers compared to last year, this is a global trend we’ve observed in other international trade shows. Even so, the number of meetings exceeded expectations," Ledesma noted.

Connectivity: The Major Challenge

The executive also addressed one of the recurring concerns: air and sea connectivity within the Caribbean, a crucial factor to boost intra-regional and multi-destination tourism.

"As an association, our role is to represent 32 Caribbean destinations and work with public and private sectors to better understand the constraints faced by airlines," she explained.

Ledesma highlighted recent efforts by destinations such as Barbados and Saint Lucia, which have reduced taxes on intra-Caribbean travel to encourage regional movement, along with the progress made through alternative routes with airlines such as Sunrise Airways and Wings.

"Two months ago, I took a three-week trip across the Caribbean and didn’t have to go back to Miami. The entire journey stayed within the region. That shows what we can achieve if we continue strengthening regional connectivity," she emphasized.

New Strategies, Same Spirit

This year, the CHTA implemented a new exhibition floor layout with an open concept that brought all destinations and exhibitors into a single shared space, improving the business experience.

"Previously we used closed structures like ‘pipe and drape’. This time we opted for an open design that facilitates interaction. It’s a change that has been well received," Ledesma said.

Regarding international participation, although there were no entirely new markets, the return of countries that were absent last year—such as Germany and Switzerland—was notable, along with a strong presence from the United Kingdom, supported by the event’s rescheduling from January to May.

Looking Ahead

Although no specific announcements were made, Ledesma indicated that the association is continuously evaluating new strategies to meet market demands.

"There are no official announcements at this moment, but we remain focused on innovation, just as we did with the meeting floor design. Our goal is to facilitate business and strengthen the Caribbean’s positioning as a unified tourism region," she concluded.