Caribbean Travel Forum Achieves Resounding Success
CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) declared the third annual Caribbean Travel Forum a resounding success on Thursday.
Event Highlights
The event featured insightful presentations and high-level panel discussions that explored Caribbean tourism performance, emerging trends, and future industry prospects.
Report Insights
The CHTA president, Nicola Madden-Greig, presented key insights from the joint ForwardKeys and CHTA Caribbean Trends Report, which provided a thorough analysis of the region’s performance and identified critical trends shaping the industry’s future.
Tourism Performance
The report highlights a significant milestone for Caribbean tourism, with international arrivals to surpass 2019 levels by an impressive 13 percent in the first half of 2024. Nevertheless, with the global reopening of destinations, especially in Asia, the Caribbean faces intensified competition for market share.
Award Recipients
During the Forum, the CHTA honored destinations committed to resilience and sustainability with the Destination Resilience Awards. These awards recognize efforts aligned with the World Tourism Organization’s sustainable development goals, emphasizing collaborative approaches and innovative, needs-driven strategies to tackle climate change and broader sustainability challenges.
The Bahamas received the Category A Award for destinations with total stopover visitor arrivals of over 500,000. The Abacos in The Bahamas has demonstrated remarkable resilience and a commitment to sustainable tourism post-Hurricane Dorian.
Establishing the Abaco Stewardship Council marks a significant milestone. It fosters collaboration among residents, businesses, NGOs, and government agencies to promote sustainable tourism, cultural heritage preservation, and community engagement.
St. Lucia received the Category B Award for destinations with total stopover visitor arrivals under 500,000. St. Lucia stands out with strategic initiatives and legislative frameworks under the Tourism Development Act 2023, driven by collaborations among the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association, Ministry of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, and Community Tourism Agency. Initiatives focused on sustainable legislation, marine conservation, and women’s empowerment have enhanced St. Lucia’s socioeconomic development, highlighted by projects like the Rodney Bay City Centre, Saint Lucia Carnival, and the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival.
Award for Health and Tourism
Recognizing the critical link between health and tourism, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) received the President’s Award for Caribbean Tourism Excellence for its outstanding contributions to the region’s health security.
CARPHA’s pivotal role in safeguarding public health within the Caribbean tourism sector has been instrumental, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its comprehensive approach to health security includes rigorous health monitoring, prompt outbreak response, and extensive public health education campaigns.
Conclusion
The Caribbean Travel Forum was a great success, showcasing the region’s tourism resilience and sustainability efforts. The CHTA acknowledged the exemplary initiatives of The Bahamas, St. Lucia, and CARPHA in creating a sustainable future for Caribbean tourism, benefiting local communities while preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
FAQs
* What was the main objective of the Caribbean Travel Forum?
+ The forum aimed to explore Caribbean tourism performance, emerging trends, and future industry prospects.
* Which destinations received awards for their sustainable tourism efforts?
+ The Bahamas received the Category A Award, and St. Lucia received the Category B Award.
* Which agency received the President’s Award for Caribbean Tourism Excellence?
+ The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) received the award for its outstanding contributions to the region’s health security.
* What is the significance of the Caribbean Trends Report?
+ The report highlights the region’s tourism performance, identified critical trends shaping the industry’s future, and provided insights for sustainable tourism development.