CHTA’s Vanessa Ledesma: "There’s Growing Interest in the Caribbean Travel Market"

Within the framework of the 41st edition of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace we sat down with Vanessa Ledesma, director of operations and events of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), about the figures and the progress made in this recently celebrated edition of the event. 

After these two days of the fair, what is the balance of this 41st edition of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace?

We are very happy with the results we have had so far, particularly because we held the last edition of the event only 6 months ago, and yet we have had a participation of about 800 people, 50 countries represented at the event, of which 28 are Caribbean destinations. In addition, feedback from suppliers and buyers reflects that the meetings have been extremely productive, and there have been numerous conversations about potential collaborations and opportunities. There is definitely a lot of interest in the Caribbean tourism market. 

What led the CHTA to choose Barbados as the country to host the Caribbean Travel Marketplace for the first time in its history?

Throughout the history of the event, we have had quite a few conversations about holding the congress in a destination that may not have such large meeting spaces, as is the case in Jamaica, Puerto Rico or the Bahamas. 

Barbados had been interested in holding the event for several years, but because it did not have the convention space required by the Caribbean Travel Marketplace it was not considered. However, after the pandemic, we made the decision to evaluate other destinations to host the event. This is only the second time we have held the congress in the Eastern Caribbean, an area we want to give greater visibility to. 

We are really grateful for the support of Barbados, which has done a tremendous job in highlighting their culture and all they have to offer. The organization of the event is a little different than what we are used to seeing, but going to these smaller destinations allows suppliers to get to know other areas of the Caribbean. 

And one of the destinations you mentioned, Jamaica, is where the next edition will be held. 

It's been five years since we've held the Caribbean Travel Marketplace there, and this time in the Montego Bay area. The dates are not yet set, but it will surely be in the spring, in the months of April or May. 

Jamaica has been a destination that has been used very well when the event has been held there, as it has great accessibility and the convention space is tremendous. We are really excited about this decision. 

Has the fact that the current edition was held just a few months after the 40th edition, held in Puerto Rico in October, affected the interest of buyers and suppliers in participating in the show?

Definitely not, which for us is a great success. We have surpassed the number of Caribbean suppliers that participated in Puerto Rico, and the number of buyers is 101, very similar to the number we had last year.

Many of the firms participating in Puerto Rico wanted to be present in this edition as well, because it is not only an opportunity to get to know the destination, but also to have conversations with the new suppliers present. The proximity of dates has not affected us. 

"We want to find a way for the industry to be more balanced and to be able to continue with the number of visitors coming to the region."

Many really relevant topics have been discussed during the event, such as connectivity between Caribbean countries or the integration of the local population into the sector, among others. In your view, what do you think has been the main concern for the industry?

The availability of accessibility and connectivity in the Caribbean is really important, not only in terms of global markets but also in the regional area. We are also seeing a lot of conversations around the creation of multi-destination products, for which air connectivity is again essential. 

Similarly, other aspects have been discussed, such as support for destinations during the summer months, or the issue of airfares, although this is something that has increased globally. We want to find a way for the industry to be more balanced and to be able to continue with the number of visitors coming to the region.