Caribbean News

2020 Caribbean Travel Marketplace Registration Pacing Strong

Published

4 years ago

December 21, 2019

Miami, 21 December, 2019 – USA – The 2020 edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace, slated for The Bahamas between January 21 and 23, 2020, is generating lots of buzz and excitement, with officials reporting strong registration pace for the event.

Frank Comito, CEO and Director General of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), reported that the region’s largest and longest-standing tourism marketing event has confirmed close to 500 supplier delegates from more than 170 supplier companies to date.

“Based on the registration pace we are witnessing, we expect to see a continuing surge in delegate numbers over the next several weeks as hotel and destination representatives, tourism providers, wholesalers and tour operators, online travel agencies, and members of the media prepare for the premier Caribbean one-stop travel trade event in The Bahamas,” said Comito.

The CHTA meetup is a collaboration with local partners Baha Mar, the Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board.
Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be held at Baha Mar’s Performing Arts and Convention Center, at one of the newest and most impressive resorts in the Caribbean.

Comito also noted a strong interest in buyer delegates with over 80 buyer companies so far registered for the meetings. They include 191 representatives from Australia, The Bahamas, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, Puerto Rico, The Russian Federation, Spain, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.

“We believe buyers from around the world are looking forward to not just reviewing the incredible investments taking place in the host destination, but also meeting with representatives from longstanding Caribbean hotels and resorts, as well as the unprecedented number of new and refurbished properties which have recently unveiled their offerings,” he said.

Comito added: “The Caribbean has experienced a surge in tourism investments and upgrades in recent years, offering travelers more options and experiences than we’ve ever seen. This is a prime one-stop opportunity for travel trade buyers to ‘shop the Caribbean’, and for hoteliers to connect with new and longstanding business generators. We’re pleased with the level of registrations thus far and encourage buyers and suppliers who have not yet registered not to miss this opportunity.”

The private sector tourism leader highlighted new and refurbished resort offerings in Anguilla, Dominica, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, which he attributed to the resilience of both the tourism industry and the “tremendous citizens of these destinations” who were adversely impacted by the storms of 2017.

Comito asserted that forward-looking companies are recognizing the value proposition of the Caribbean and the smartest of them are heading to Marketplace to ensure they can benefit from the revitalization of the region. He noted that destinations such as The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Grenada and Jamaica were also leading the region with new and refreshed product.

While Marketplace registration continues apace, Comito suggested companies sign up as soon as possible, to especially take advantage of maximizing appointment requests by January 7, 2020. “The combination of the potential for new business coupled with the allure of the Baha Mar resort complex as our host venue makes this edition of Marketplace an even hotter ticket than usual, so get signed up quickly.”

This year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace host sponsors are the Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association, Baha Mar, and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association.

Platinum sponsors include ADARA; AMResorts; Figment Design; HM&B; Interval International; Marketplace Excellence; Mastercard; STR; TravelClick, an Amadeus company; Travelzoo; and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Gold sponsors are American Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, HCP Media, Questex Travel Group (Travel Agent and Luxury Travel Advisor), Questex Travel & Meetings Events, and Sojern.

Silver sponsors are BCV, a RateGain Company; Conde Nast; interCaribbean Airways; Northstar Travel Group; Pegasus; Saint Lucia Tourism Authority; SiteMinder; St. Martin / St. Maarten Tourist Office; Travel + Leisure | Blue Group Media; and TripAdvisor.

To register and for more information on Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2020, visit www.chtamarketplace.com or contact events@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.

About the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the Caribbean’s leading association representing the interests of national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 50 years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry. Working with some 1,000 hotel and allied members, and 33 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean’s future and helping members to grow their businesses.

Whether helping to navigate critical issues in sales and marketing, sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, climate change, data and intelligence or, looking for avenues and ideas to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping members on issues which matter most.

For further information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.

Release: CHTA

Caribbean News

CARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva

Published

12 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer

Words are in circulation in support for the establishment of an international tribunal, geared towards seeking reparations for centuries long transatlantic slave trade, after a CARICOM official made calls at the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

During day two of the gathering held from April 16 to 19, 2024, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, stated there is a need for the tribunal as there is currently no international court to deal with the issues of reparations.

Commision, like the other members that support his view, according to reports, are aware this won’t be an easy feat, as he expressed that establishing the tribunal would require a “positive decision” by the UN General Assembly, further calling on the officials at the Forum and the UN, to come together through international collaboration and “make this happen.”

The idea creation of the tribunal was born last year 2023, suggested by the PFPAD, now reiterated by Comissiong.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in a video, addressing the opening of the forum, supported the ongoing calls for respiratory efforts, a sentiment not shared by many.

Mentioning that racism is still an issue in today’s society, Guterres said, “ now we must build on that momentum, to drive meaningful change by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, including through reparations.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy

Published

12 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Caribbean News

Gov’t Committed to Seeking Reparations for Chattel Slavery – Minister Grange

Published

12 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

KINGSTON, April 16 (JIS):

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican Government remains committed to seeking reparations for the prolonged period of chattel enslavement endured by the African forefathers on the country’s plantations.

Minister Grange said that the historical events of the transatlantic slave trade continue to have a lasting impact on Black communities to this day.

She contended that the ongoing struggles to finance education and healthcare, address poverty and housing issues, respond to economic shocks and climate change impacts, and foster peaceful societies are all rooted in the historical legacy of enslavement.

Minister Grange was addressing a church service on Sunday (April 14) at the Webster Memorial United Church in St. Andrew, where an apology was issued on behalf of the United Reform Church (URC) in the United Kingdom (UK) by Moderator of the Assembly of the URC, Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson, for the church’s historical involvement in slavery.

“We, the general assembly of the United Reform Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars which continue to blight our society, our church and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today,” the apology read.

Minister Grange, in accepting the apology, urged UK churches, particularly those whose representatives were present for the historic apology in Jamaica, to communicate to their government the ethical imperative of admitting culpability through an apology and working with Jamaica to discern the potential avenues for reparations.

She said that the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade has had significant and enduring effects on Black communities, impacting society, the church itself, and the lives of Black individuals worldwide.

“It is this complicity of the church that gave solace and comfort to the citizens and governments of UK and Europe as they endorsed and defended with their military project, that saw the capture, the torture, the dehumanisation, and devaluation of African people, legacies of which we experience today as racism, white supremacy, and discrimination,” she stated.

“We struggle to build peaceful, stable societies because of the perpetration of violence which was the platform on which enslavement was executed yet, in spite of this, we have been good converts to these same religions. Our people have adopted and adapted the doctrines and rituals of these new religions and in many instances have energised and revitalised them with cultural practices of African spirituality,” the Minister emphasised.

The URC is a community of Christians gathering in local churches across England, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of the global family of Reformed Churches, comprising more than 70 million Christians.

With approximately 42,000 members in around 1,200 congregations, supported by more than 600 ministers, the URC plays a significant role in the spiritual and communal life of its members and the broader community.

CONTACT: BRITNEY STEVENS