Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has confirmed Jamaica as host of its 42nd edition of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, from May 20 – 22 next year.

This is the marquee event of the CHTA, which brings together buyers and sellers of the Caribbean’s tourism products and services. The Travel Marketplace was last held in Jamaica just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

The 2024 event will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James. ‘Marketplace 42’ will offer some new elements designed to enhance the overall experience that CHTA president Nicola Madden-Greig likened to the Caribbean Travel Forum & Awards.

Caribbean Travel Forum & Awards

The forum will take place on Monday, May 20, just ahead of the official start of Marketplace. Highlights will include thought leaders and experts from several destinations and organisations and focus on the tourism business.

In a statement over the weekend, the CHTA declared: “We at CHTA are delighted that Jamaica is building on the enormous success of our marketplace this year in Barbados because it is where deals are made, allowing new and established buyers from all corners of the world to access a rich offering of travel products and experiences throughout the Caribbean.”

According to Madden-Greig, the marketplace is “where those of us in the industry meet, collaborate, strategise and get smarter about how best to share the Caribbean experience with visitors from around the world”.

For his part, Minister in Tourism Edmund Bartlett remarked: “At Caribbean Travel Marketplace, we can show the world how the Caribbean tourism sector’s resilience has made our destination secure and safe for locals and visitors alike…It is quite fitting to have Jamaica host this premier regional event as we continue on our path to growth.”

Continuing, Bartlett said: “This event will add greatly to our tourism suppliers and buyers and ultimately create strong partnerships moving forward. It will also provide multi-destination opportunities for participants who may want to have different experiences over the period.”

Robin Russell, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) added his voice, saying, “This prestigious event offers an important platform to showcase the rich offerings and experiences of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region.”