JOHN’S, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA — The countdown is on for next year’s 43rd Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM), set to take place in beautiful Antigua and Barbuda.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) annual event, scheduled for May 18-22, 2025, will attract major global buyers and regional suppliers and showcase Antigua and Barbuda’s many offerings. Its selection as host destination underscores the national’s growing status as a key player in Caribbean hospitality and tourism, says Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

“With a 16% increase in stayover arrivals this year, surpassing 2019’s record levels, our twin-island nation has become a focal point for international travel and investment. The conference is anticipated to draw up to 2,000 attendees, further establishing the destination as a prime location for the key MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) market,” says James.

The 2025 edition of Marketplace promises a dynamic program featuring Responsible Tourism Day, which highlights the importance of sustainable tourism practices through community engagement activities. The Caribbean Travel Forum, another key event, will bring together public and private sector representatives to discuss critical issues in regional tourism and recognize outstanding individuals and organizations.

The main venue for next year’s conference will be the American University of Antigua (AUA), a new, state-of-the-art conference facility that successfully hosted the recent United Nations’ 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 

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Picture l-r in top photo: St. Kitts at the CTO’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference, from l-r: Sandra Joseph, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism; Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority; Vanessa Ledesma, Acting CEO and Director General of CHTA; and Dona Regis-Prosper, CTO Secretary-General and CEO