The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is reporting that registration for the 40th edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) is outpacing expectations as regional suppliers and global buyers prepare for a return to in-person business development activities in the Caribbean this fall.

Slated for San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Oct. 3 to 5, CTM chair Karen Whitt says that systems are “gearing up beautifully” for the upcoming meeting, mirroring the surging traveller demand for visiting Caribbean destinations.

“The Caribbean is still one of the world’s most desirable destinations and we are looking forward to the convergence of buyers and sellers of Caribbean tourism to advance the region’s recovery,” she stated.

Whitt, who is the VP of Sales and Marketing for the Hartling Group in Turks and Caicos, buyers from 14 countries and suppliers from 21 countries and territories have confirmed their participation to date.

“We have focused on attracting buyers from new locations, and they are delighted to attend an event where all of the Caribbean will be in one location,” says Whitt, who adds that buyers of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and destination wedding experiences have also confirmed their participation.

Conference goers will meet buyers from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the US.

Witt believes the buzz the trade association is witnessing this year is due to the pent-up demand for in-person, face-to-face interaction among buyers and sellers and consumer demand for travel experiences after two years of pandemic-related isolation and lockdowns.

She adds that CHTA is already in the planning phase for the 2023 edition of Marketplace, which is expected to be held in the second quarter or later.

ForwardKeys, CHTA’s data partner, recently reported that the Caribbean and Latin America are leading the summer outlook in terms of the return of leisure travel, noting that five destinations – Aruba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and The Bahamas – are among the “most resilient” based on confirmed arrivals for the summer.

For more information, visit chtamarketplace.com.