Barbados played a central role in regional tourism discussions at Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2026, where the Caribbean Tourism Organization advanced a coordinated agenda focused on strengthening the tourism supply chain and increasing value retention across the Caribbean.

Barbados Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the CTO Council, Ian Gooding-Edghill, highlighted the establishment of the Supply-Side Committee, a regional initiative aligned with the CTO’s reimagined strategic plan aimed at strengthening coordination within the Caribbean tourism ecosystem.

Gooding-Edghill explained that the committee is designed to increase local participation in the tourism value chain, ensuring that a greater share of tourism revenue remains within Caribbean economies while reducing economic leakage.

He also underscored the appointment of Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, as chair of the committee, recognizing his regional leadership and long-standing contribution to Caribbean tourism development.

The minister stressed that tourism growth must translate into broader economic benefits for Caribbean communities, including job creation, enterprise development, and stronger local production networks.

He added that the initiative seeks to generate more economic activity within individual territories while ensuring a more equitable distribution of tourism benefits across the region.

Gooding-Edghill further emphasized that the initiative represents a concrete step toward deeper regional integration, improving the Caribbean’s global competitiveness through coordinated policy action.

He also acknowledged the work of CTO Secretary General Dona Regis-Prosper in advancing the conceptual framework of the committee and strengthening institutional cooperation across member states.