The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) aims to reimagine the region’s tourism landscape at the third annual Caribbean Travel Forum, taking place Monday, May 20 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Kicking off this year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the annual event brings together leading regional and international thought leaders to discuss tourism business opportunities and strategies for success in the Caribbean, the heart of the global travel industry.

Attendees will have the opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge from distinguished speakers, including esteemed travel writer, author and advisor on destination development Doug Lansky who will deliver the keynote address, sharing insights and perspectives on navigating the evolving landscape of Caribbean tourism. Lansky, the author of 10 books, has also written for the world’s most prestigious travel publications.

CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig, in her “State of the Industry” address, will share key data and insights including data from CHTA’s recently unveiled annual Performance and Outlook

Survey. The survey spotlights the resilience and growth of the Caribbean tourism industry with overwhelmingly positive results. It also underscores ongoing challenges that require attention to grow the region’s crucial economic driver. Her presentation will also go into detail on the forecast for new development in the region with the official launch of the CHTA Construction and Pipeline Report. Additional data will also be shared on international and regional trends shaping the tourism landscape.

Insights on the business of tourism will be shared by several leading public and private sector stakeholders, including:

• Kenneth Bryan, Cayman Islands Minister for Tourism & Ports and Chairman, Caribbean Tourism Organization
• Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica
• Nataliya Mylenko, Lead Economist, Caribbean Region, World Bank Group
• Sheila Johnson, CEO, Salamander Hotels and Resorts
• Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International
• Frank Wolfe, CEO, Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP)
• Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence & Marketing, ForwardKeys

The forum’s agenda covers a breadth of topics crucial to the success of the region’s tourism industry, including leveraging data insights, enhancing multi-destination marketing, boosting intra-Caribbean travel, harnessing technology for innovation, improving operational efficiency, expanding tourism linkages, navigating labor market constraints, and adopting new market penetration strategies.

Additionally, the event will feature the CHTA Awards Luncheon, which celebrates the achievements of Caribbean Hotelier of the Year, the Destination Resilience Award winner, and the President’s Award recipient for Caribbean Tourism Excellence.