The Caribbean Tourism Organization has announced that Saint Lucia will host the inaugural CTO Latin American Market Summit on May 5-6, 2027.
The announcement was made this week at World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo, Brazil.
The one-and-a-half-day event is designed to strengthen ties between Caribbean tourism stakeholders and the fast-growing Latin American travel market, bringing together airlines, tour operators, travel agents, media, and regional destinations.
A Strategic Push Into Latin America
The summit will focus on expanding the Caribbean’s presence in Latin America, with a program that includes keynote sessions, panel discussions, and targeted business meetings.
Organizers say the goal is to create direct commercial opportunities, share market intelligence, and build long-term partnerships between Caribbean destinations and Latin American travel companies.
The event will also include destination showcases highlighting individual Caribbean countries.
Air Connectivity at the Center
A central focus of the summit will be improving airlift between the Caribbean and Latin America.
The initiative builds on findings from the CTO Air Connectivity Study, which identified significant gaps in service — and strong potential for new routes — particularly from markets such as Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.
Tourism officials are aiming to translate those findings into new nonstop flights and expanded capacity across the region.
A Fast-Growing Source Market
Latin America has become one of the Caribbean’s most important growth markets.
In 2025, South American arrivals to the Caribbean rose 23.7 percent, reaching 2.4 million visits — the strongest growth of any source region.
Officials attribute the increase to improved air links, targeted marketing campaigns, and rising outbound demand across South America.
Why Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia’s selection as host reflects its growing role in regional tourism strategy and its connectivity within the wider Caribbean network.
The summit will take place just ahead of the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, adding a cultural component to the gathering.
Caribbean Journal Staff
2026-04-16 20:19:00