Early 2012 conference signalling Caribbean tourism rebound

Tourism officials are hopeful of a rebound as the CHTA reports a 48% increase in registrations for the January 2012 Caribbean Marketplace versus same response this time last year.

MIAMI, United States, Thursday October 27, 2011 – The Bahamas is set to play host to over 343 delegates representing 153 companies when the 30th Edition Caribbean Marketplace comes off at the Atlantis on Paradise Island between January 22 and 24, 2012.

Officials at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), organisers for the event, have announced that this number of registrants reflects a whopping 48% increase over the number of participants who were registered at this time one year ago when there were 14 weeks left until the event.

"The numbers we are seeing for Caribbean Marketplace support the fact that interest in Caribbean vacations is on the rise," said an encouraged Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA.

Registrations have been rolling in from: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Barths, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Martin, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, United States and United States Virgin Islands.

"The industry recognizes that for the past 30 years, Caribbean Marketplace has allowed tour operators, hoteliers, attractions and restaurants to position their companies ahead of their peers by proactively participating in the industry's most important marketing event."

Forstmayr continued, "The demand for Caribbean vacations from across the globe is on the rise and these companies who have registered for Caribbean Marketplace know the importance of attending this two-day event. The business that is conducted at Caribbean Marketplace will shape bookings for 2012 and into 2013."

CHTA officials anticipate that the 2012 edition of the event will continue the successes achieved at Caribbean Marketplace 2011, which saw the third largest attendance over the past decade, with 1,518 delegates as compared to 1,362 in 2010 and an increase in the number of buyer companies by 20% and buyer delegates by 17%, up from 101 and 268 respectively in 2010. The number of scheduled appointments totaled 11,880 over the two-day event in 2011. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)