ST JAMES, Jamaica — Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has hailed the 42nd staging of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association’s (CHTA’s) Travel Marketplace as an overwhelming success.

The event, which kicked off at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Monday, climaxed with a glitzy closing ceremony, hosted at the Sandals Montego Bay property on Wednesday evening.

An upbeat Bartlett argued that the record participation of some 1,200 delegates, drawn from 50 countries resulted in some 1,274 appointments.

He added that the success of the travel marketplace is a testament that tourism, which was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, has fully recovered in the Caribbean.

“Normally at 12 o’clock … two o’clock when people would start pulling down their stalls and moving quickly to get out- up to five o’clock this (Wednesday) evening people were still making appointments and doing business. What a wonderful successful the 42nd renewal has been! And that tells the story that the Caribbean tourism is back, that yes, we have been fully recovered,” Bartlett expressed.

“The reports, all the statistical digest across the world and those who are putting out data on recovery, region by region, has indicated that the Caribbean region is one of only two regions in the world that is truly recovered from COVID 19. And this is significant for us,” he added.

Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart, also argued that the hospitality sector in the region is up and running again.

“Anybody who says travel is not on fire is wrong. And anybody who say that the archipelago of the Caribbean is not the best place to travel, is wrong,” Stewart stated in his welcome address at the closing ceremony.

Head of the CHTA Nicola Madden Greig thanked all the participants for making the event a success.

“We are so happy with everything you have brought to the table: your passion your energy, your warmth and we hope that you will continue to sell our region. Continue to fall in love with the Caribbean, continue to fall in love with Jamaica. We look forward to see our numbers double, triple, quadruple,” an elated Madden Greig said.

President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Robin Russell also extended his gratitude.

— Horace Hines