CHTA Caribbean Marketplace 2010 Creates Lucrative Opportunities for Wholesalers, Operators in Caribbean

Caribbean Marketplace 2010 is welcoming buyers from around the world to meet with suppliers to create strategies to accommodate the pent-up demand for Caribbean travel that has evolved during the recent economic downturn. Staged by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), along with the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, MasterCard and Virgin Holidays, Caribbean Marketplace takes place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Jan. 10-12, 2010.

Pent-up demand for warm weather vacations has grown extensively during the recent economic downturn as consumers have postponed their trips in anticipation of better times. As the economic outlook improves, the desire for leisure getaways will be unleashed upon the Caribbean with high expectations of increased bookings in 2010 and beyond. Caribbean Marketplace 2010 in San Juan is the perfect opportunity for wholesalers, tour operators and meeting planners to meet with hoteliers and tourist office officials to plan and prepare packages to accommodate potential vacationers.

"With a projected tourism recovery just around the corner, Caribbean Marketplace 2010 represents an unprecedented opportunity for wholesalers and other buyers in the industry to secure extremely lucrative contracts," said Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, president of CHTA.

"Operators and wholesalers present at Caribbean Marketplace will be best positioned to reap the maximum rewards from what experts are predicting will be a large influx of tourism over the next several years," De Marchena Kaluche added.

"Puerto Rico is honored to host the most important Caribbean Marketing conference at a moment of crucial significance for the region's tourism industry and economy," said Jaime López Díaz, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

Caribbean Marketplace is the requisite business-to-business marketing event for the Caribbean, where buyers meet with hospitality suppliers to network and negotiate contracts to facilitate travel over the next few years. CHTA's proprietary appointment matching program guarantees maximum networking opportunities with the Caribbean's top suppliers at an efficient schedule.

"To us, Caribbean Marketplace is the best way to kick off our Caribbean contracting year. The pre-scheduled appointment format is beneficial because you can control how much time you spend with your suppliers and know that you won't be interrupted," said John Taker, purchasing director, Virgin Holidays. "Meetings are compressed into two of the most productive days of the year, and we get to enjoy that lovely Caribbean hospitality in the evenings. It is a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun too," Taker added.

Caribbean Marketplace 2010 is expected to be even larger than the 2009 event, which saw the number of booths top the 400 mark for the first time in a decade. 12,292 appointments were scheduled in 2009, second only to the record set in 2008.

"One common misconception is that an influx of tourism - as is expected in 2010 - will be spread evenly throughout the travel industry. This could not be further from the truth," said Alec Sanguinetti, CHTA's Director General and CEO.

"In reality, the lion's share of new business goes to the most savvy wholesalers and tour operators who are poised for success with strong marketing initiatives and contracts already in place prior to an industry bounce back, adding further importance to January's Caribbean Marketplace in Puerto Rico," explained Sanguinetti.