Over 30 Caribbean destinations, including scores of private sector representatives, will exhibit Caribbean culture, art, food and music at WTM, which has attracted a record 189 countries this year.

As in previous years, the CTO will oversee the construction, décor and co-ordination of Caribbean Village.

Caribbean Village, created over 25 years ago with the support of the European Union, features brightly coloured stands designed like chattel houses which surround a central area where people discuss and do business. And of course there is a Caribbean Meeting Point where the destinations entertain their guests with Caribbean cuisine and refreshments.

Over the years, this concept has become so successful that the region has built on it and created Caribbean villages at other European tourism trade shows.

“The Caribbean Village has grown to the extent that many more Caribbean private sector entities are exhibiting in their own stalls at the village and are conducting business with travel agents, industry buyers and influencers who attend WTM,” said Julia Hendry, CTO’s director of marketing for Europe.

“Also throughout the event, we are actively working with both our public and private sector membership, along with British and European travel trade, to ensure that maximum awareness is created throughout the show to increase trade awareness both of the CTO Britain Chapter and the Caribbean region as a whole,” she added.

The Caribbean Village is a focal point for a host of activities, including a pre-WTM European Market Forum on Sunday, where ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, representatives of various sectors of the travel industry and the media discuss the global competition in the tourism industry as it relates to the Caribbean’s performance in the European market.

On a networking and social level, CTO will facilitate a Meet the Media party on Monday, at which the Caribbean will host the European media. The event will provide the public sector membership as well as major exhibitors with an opportunity to meet the trade Press.

Organisers of WTM expect to increase the size of the exhibition by more than five per cent when it opens at London ExCeL on Monday.

Last year’s event attracted more than 5 000 exhibiting companies spread over 36 850 square metres of space and drew almost 44 000 visitors, exhibiting personnel and international media.

Caribbean Cricket

Caribbean Golf

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