The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy attended ‘ETI – the International Tourism Expo 2016’, held in Puerto Rico during May.

Mrs. Charmaine Spencer, Regional Marketing Manager in the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), and Mrs. Dulcie Looby-Greene Compliance and Accommodations Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, joined other regional stakeholders with the shared interest in growing and selling Caribbean tourism at the business event.

“ETI 2016 provided numerous opportunities to promote and sell Antigua & Barbuda, and persons were highly engaged to learn more about the destination,” said Charmaine Spencer, ABTA’s Regional Marketing Manager.

Over 700 leading travel advisors and wholesalers from around the world who actively sell Caribbean vacations, and 145 Caribbean destinations, and suppliers attended the four-day event which included group meetings, social and cultural events, field trips, workshops, destination trainings, and keynote addresses.

Spencer noted that, “There was definitely a ‘buzz’ around Antigua and Barbuda, as agents from the United States and the Caribbean were very interested and keen to learn more about our islands, as was noted by the many agents who attended our destination seminar.”

In order to continue to build awareness of the destination in the Puerto Rican market, the ABTA has been conducting a series of marketing, advertising and public relation activities to promote the new airlift offered by Seaborne Airlines. Seaborne Airlines was introduced to the destination in late 2015 as a viable means of connecting U.S travelers to Antigua and Barbuda, based on their partnerships with JetBlue Airways, Air Europa, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines.

Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, organizers of ETI-Puerto Rico said, “As the U.S travel market’s top-selling destination, the Caribbean has long required an annual event tailored specifically to travel agents. The fact that Puerto Rico acts as a hub for the Caribbean, with air and sea access to most islands, makes it an ideal location for this tourism expo.”