From Travelweek Group

SAN JUAN — The Caribbean’s recovery post-hurricane season is picking up pace with more than 5 billion impressions for the ‘Caribbean Is Open’ campaign, plus strong registration numbers for the CHTA’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace Jan. 30 – Feb. 1.

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association reports that registration numbers for the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, taking place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, are just slightly off pace from 2016, with close to 600 delegates already confirmed for the event including 170+ suppliers and more than 50 buyers.

“With six weeks to go, we are on target to equal or surpass last year’s attendance, says CHTA’s Director General Frank Comito. Next month’s event is shaping up to be “another incredible opportunity to kickstart the region’s marketing efforts for 2018 and beyond,” he adds.

Following a meeting with the Host Committee in San Juan last week, Comito disclosed the overall year-over-year registration pace was encouraging, and assured that all systems were in order for the Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 event.

Produced by CHTA, Marketplace brings together hotel and destination representatives; online travel agents; tour operators; Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) planners; and members of the media.

“We were very encouraged by what we saw in Puerto Rico,” said Comito, who observed the metro area busily preparing for the opening of the winter season. “The strong recovery from Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm, is a testament to the spirit of the Puerto Rican people as they get their lives back on track and get ready to welcome tourists to the island. They are ready for us and they are going to be even more ready on Jan. 30.”

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) reported last week that more than 100 hotels are open and operating. More than 4,000 restaurants are taking orders and serving up meals. Major tourism attractions island-wide have been cleaned up and restored.

“It’s been the continued collaboration with Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s team and tourism industry partners that has resulted in tremendous progress and we’re thrilled to be officially open for tourism,” said José Izquierdo, executive director of the PRTC. “Tourism is a vital contributor to the island’s economy, so reaching these milestones not only will help build a stronger, better Puerto Rico, but showcases the resiliency in our people and destination.”

Puerto Rico recently announced that Dec. 20 would be its “official reopening date”. The island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in this year’s wild Atlantic hurricane season.

For more information on Caribbean Travel Marketplace see chtamarketplace.com. Details about registration can be found at https://www.chtamarketplace.com/registration-fees.

Meanwhile billions of people now know that the Caribbean is open because of the multifaceted, million-dollar campaign by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the trade association representing the mutual interests of the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Association’s ‘Caribbean Is Open’ campaign generated awareness, along with more than 5 billion impressions, about the majority of Caribbean destinations operating normally, unhindered by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Between Oct. 2 and Dec. 1, 2017, the campaign generated more than 4.26 billion impressions; 11,949 media placements; 22,432 promoted content clicks; promoted content reach of 14,060,068; and 18,269 total shares of news stories.

That’s in addition to the 1.23 billion impressions and 9,041 placements through a satellite media tour.

The campaign has also featured a landing site, CaribbeanIsOpen.com, with destination footage, a Q&A, traveller testimonials and a map of open destinations, as well as a media call with Arnold Donald, CEO, Carnival Corporation, and Chairman, CLIA and Adam Goldstein, President & COO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Chairman, FCCA.

In all, the focus has been targeting potential travellers to educate about the region’s more than 1 million square miles and 100 ports, the majority of which were unaffected by the hurricanes and ready to welcome visitors. The campaign also showcased the affected destinations’ resiliency and recovery efforts.

IMAGE: The Puerto Rico Convention Center

For more on this story go to: http://www.travelweek.ca/news/heading-chtas-caribbean-travel-marketplace-heres-can-expect/