The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), together with the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Virgin Holidays, are now accepting registrations for Caribbean Marketplace 2010.  Taking place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan from Jan. 10-12, next year’s Caribbean Marketplace has been deemed absolutely critical due to its timing at the cusp of what many experts are speculating will be the beginning of the tourism industry’s recovery.Caribbean Marketplace is the requisite business-to-business marketing event for the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with buyers from around the world.  Caribbean Marketplace 2010 is expected to be even larger than the 2009 event, which saw the number of booths top the 400 mark for the first time in a decade.  12,292 appointments were scheduled in 2009, second only to the record set in 2008.

“Attending Caribbean Marketplace 2010 is hands down the most important thing you can do for your tourism product as we enter the new decade,” said Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, President of CHTA.

“It is widely known that the greatest fortunes are made by those who not only survive a slump, but are well positioned at the start of a major economic recovery.  This makes Caribbean Marketplace 2010 critical for all members of the region’s hospitality sector, including tour operators who are likely to walk away from Caribbean Marketplace with some very lucrative contracts,” De Marchena Kaluche noted.

“One common misconception is that an influx of tourism - as is expected in 2010 - will be spread evenly throughout the hospitality sector.  This could not be further from the truth,” said Alec Sanguinetti, CHTA’s Director General and CEO.

“In reality, the lion’s share of new business goes to the most savvy hoteliers and tour operators who are poised for success with strong marketing initiatives and contracts already in place prior to an industry bounce back, adding further importance to next year’s Caribbean Marketplace,” explained Sanguinetti.

“Puerto Rico is honored to host the most important Caribbean Marketing conference at a moment of crucial significance for the region’s tourism industry and economy,” said Jaime López D’az, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

“This next year brings great hope, and during Caribbean Marketplace in January, the region’s tourism industry will gather in Puerto Rico for three days that will dictate business across the region for the entire year and beyond.  Puerto Rico is proud to work closely with our partners across the Caribbean to pursue tourism as the most important pillar of our economies,” concluded López D’az.
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