Two of Antigua and Barbuda’s major source markets are driving a robust tourism recovery for the twin-island destination.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s business meetings in Curaçao last week, Colin James, Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, reports that while the tourism sector recovered 88 percent of its 2019 business last year, both the United States and the United Kingdom had registered record levels of stayover arrivals in 2022.

My father, Basil, often implores that the Caribbean must continually remind the world that the archipelago is a diverse multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-culinary, multi-genre (musical), multi-lingual and multi-talented group of destinations.

Nestled between North and South America, with Central America to the west and bordered by the mighty Atlantic Ocean to the east, it’s no wonder the region has been influenced by diverse cultures and histories. Take Curaçao, for example.

As the tourism sector across the Caribbean registers strong post-pandemic results, the 25-member Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) is resuming several hallmark activities and events this year to help strengthen the region’s position as the world’s leading warm-weather destination.

Following business meetings in Curaçao last week, where ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism and their representatives met together as well as with tourism industry stakeholders, CTO chair Kenneth Bryan announced that 2023 will see the return of ‘Caribbean Week in New York’ in June, the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in the Turks & Caicos Islands in the fall, and a conference focused on sustainable tourism development.

Hong Kong is ready to welcome visitors from all around the world once again with open arms and open doors.

With the launch of the global promotional campaign “Hello Hong Kong”, Hong Kong is sending its greatest welcome to the world with 500,000 air tickets as well as city-wide offers covering “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers, to entice travellers to come to experience Hong Kong’s diverse appeals.

Curaçao, one of the Caribbean’s top performing tourism destinations, is playing host to leading tourism decision makers.

Ruisandro Cijntje, Curaçao’s Minister of Economic Development, welcomed directors, ministers and commissioners of tourism to the multilingual island as delegates prepared to attend the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) first business meetings of the year.

Kenneth Bryan, Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), saluted the efforts of Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, to help start the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and turn the world’s attention to recognizing the value of tourism as a global product.