SAN JUAN (April 19, 2017) – Puerto Rico will host the 2018 edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the Caribbean’s largest marketing event, at the Puerto Rico Convention Centre January 30 – February 1, 2018.

Produced by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Convention Centre District Authority, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), and the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, next year’s event will feature two days of business meetings that match hotels and destinations with online travel agents, tour operators and event planners through a busy programme of thousands of pre-scheduled appointments.

“We are honored to host the most important Caribbean tourism event of the year as we evolve our position as a regional leader in the meetings and conventions business,” said Omar Marrero, executive director of the Puerto Rico Convention Centre District Authority.

In a joint statement, CHTA’s president Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO Frank Comito said: “We look forward to returning to Puerto Rico and partnering with both the public and private sectors in such an incredibly welcoming destination.” The CHTA officials, whose organization represents the interests of national hotel and tourism associations, noted they anticipate working with local partners, including the team at Meet Puerto Rico and destination management companies, to attract global meeting planners as well as buyers who specialize in niche markets such as spas and wellness.

In 2017, Caribbean Travel Marketplace, hosted by The Bahamas, attracted 114 buyer companies from 20 countries. More than 1,100 delegates from 31 countries participated in more than 10,000 pre-scheduled appointments.

The conference opens January 30 and will be preceded by educational sessions that day.