Business View Caribbean | October 2022

6 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10 ACE we do after . . . . “We have to . . . sit and strategize around some of the discussions that we’ve had. Meetings are one thing but it’s about the plans that we make coming out of the discussions that we had,” Roach added. The BHTA’s participation in this year’s CTM – which allowed tourism suppliers to meet face- to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation travel – marked the resumption of the association’s in-person marketing thrust to the international market. Chairman Renée Coppin noted that although participation at the two-day event may not have been as high as before COVID-19, it was still tremendously successful with over 800 delegates represented. “We had a very busy schedule with a number of productive meetings looking at how we can build business for Barbados for the upcoming winter season as well as 2023 into 2024,” Coppin said. “Another major focus for us was working on maintaining the strong relationships for which Barbados has always been known with our trade partners, as this has been extremely important to our success as a destination over the years.” More than 20 BHTA member companies along with representatives from the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) and Intimate Hotels of Barbados (IHB) attended the event which attracted tourism suppliers, traditional and new buyers and travel advisors from around the world. (DP) The discussions have yielded some promising potential for the country and really, at the end of the day, what comes of it will be based on what we do after (Left to right) BHTA chairman Renée Coppin speaking with BHTA CEO Geoffrey Roach, BTMI Director, USA, Eusi Skeete, and Loreto Duffy- Mayers (backing) at the recent CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Puerto Rico.