The Bahamas has confirmed a strong delegation for next week’s 42nd  Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which returns to the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica.

Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) from May 20-23, the event is regarded as the region’s largest tourism marketing trade show for buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region.

The Bahamian Ministry of Tourism is expectant that the marketplace will offer an opportunity for the country to shine to attract business to its shores. The Bahamas delegation has a full agenda that will include hosting a destination press conference at the event, scheduled for May 21. 

At the marketplace, the ministry will be promoting its new Incubator Centre designed to boost local entrepreneurship in the Bahamian tourism sector. Managed by the Tourism Development Corporation at a site overlooking Nassau Harbour, the centre offers an affordable and attractive space for Bahamian micro-retailers to showcase their local products.

In addition, the delegation will also be speaking about the new cruise industry developments including a private destination for Carnival Cruise Line at Celebration Key in Grand Bahama Island; a second private destination for Disney Cruise Line at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Eleuthera; and a new cruise port and water park on Grand Bahama through a partnership between Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and the ITM Group.

The delegation will be updating the tourism marketplace on air transportation including American Airlines’ new twice-weekly roundtrip non-stop service between Miami and Governor’s Harbour in Eleuthera, and SouthWest’s new Orlando-to-Nassau service, which further encourages visitors for destination exploration.

With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, ministry representatives are set to build on their success at the marketplace.

In 2023, the Bahamian Commonwealth saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38 per cent from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17 per cent to a record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5 per cent to a record 7.9 million.

The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for example, up 36 per cent in 2023,cat isla Grand Bahama up 44 per cent, and the Out Islands group up 40 per cent.