Work Now to Catch the Wave, Says Caribbean Tourism Chief

Here’s a sobering thought: Don’t expect that an uptick in tourism in 2010 will be evenly spread throughout the Caribbean.

“The lion’s share of new business will go to the most savvy hoteliers and tour operators who are poised for success with strong marketing initiatives and contracts already in place prior to an industry bounceback,” said Alec Sanguinetti, CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association.

Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, CHTA’s president, said, “It is widely known that the greatest fortunes are made by those who not only survive a slump but also are well-positioned at the start of a major economic recovery. This makes Caribbean Marketplace 2010 critical for all members of the region’s hospitality sector.”

Registration is open for CHTA’s Caribbean Marketplace 2010, set for Jan. 10 to 12 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan.

The 2010 event, sponsored by CHTA along with the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. and Virgin Holidays, is expected to be even larger than the 2009 event held in St. Lucia.

Last year’s Caribbean Marketplace was the largest in 10 years in terms of the attendance of Caribbean buyers and suppliers.