November 17, 2025

Caribbean prepares for winter tourism season

The Caribbean is entering a crucial pre-Thanksgiving period this week that signals the start of its busiest travel season. 

Destinations across the region have started to welcome travelers who are trading cooler autumn weather for warm beaches and turquoise waters.

The next few weeks are viewed as an important prelude to the official winter tourism rush beginning December 15. Hotels and resorts have spent the fall making upgrades such as refreshed suites, renovated pools and enhanced amenities, ensuring properties are polished for peak demand.

With Thanksgiving approaching on November 27, the region is poised to deliver a season of strong visitor arrivals, cultural celebrations, and renewed connections.

Tourism Tidbits

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 2025 Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) and Taste of the Caribbean culinary event opened yesterday at Wyndham Grand Barbados. Featuring hotel innovators and global tourism experts, this year’s CHIEF discussions are guided by the theme “Innovating Caribbean Tourism for a Disrupted World: Adapting with Purpose, Leading with People, Planning for Permanence.” Running concurrently with CHIEF is the highly anticipated Taste of the Caribbean competition, featuring culinary teams from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados (the reigning five-time National Team winners), Belize, Bonaire, Curaçao, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The three-day event will also include live demonstrations, tasting showcases, and educational sessions led by regional and international experts in culinary arts, sustainability and hospitality management.

Antigua and Barbuda will host CHTA’s 44th edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM), May 12–15, 2026. This marks a continuation of the successful partnership established during the 2025 event and reaffirms CHTA’s confidence in Antigua and Barbuda’s vision, leadership and commitment to the advancement of Caribbean tourism. Registration details, buyer programs and travel information for CTM 2026 will be released in the coming months.

Shaikha Al Nowais of the United Arab Emirates has been confirmed as the new Secretary-General of UN Tourism. She is first woman to lead the United Nations Specialized Agency for tourism in its 50-year history. She will begin her term at the start of 2026, having gained significant experience in the private sector, most notably as Corporate Vice President at Rotana Hotels. Looking ahead to her mandate, she outlined five core priorities: “Responsible tourism, capacity building, technology for good, innovative financing, and smart governance — each designed to make our sector more inclusive, resilient and human.”

I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation of The Bahamas, has stepped into his role as Vice President of UN Tourism’s General Assembly during the organization’s high-level opening session in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this month. Deputy Prime Minister Cooper will work alongside the elected President of the UN Tourism General Assembly Ahmed bin Aqil al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and other international tourism leaders to advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism worldwide.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will host Caribbean Weekend in Miami 2025, a milestone four-day gathering that brings together tourism ministers, directors, industry leaders and stakeholders from across the region December 4–8, 2025, at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel. In addition to strategic business and committee meetings, CTO will host a holiday dinner and fundraiser on Friday, December 5. The festive evening, held in partnership with CTO’s Allied Members, aims to raise US $100,000 for the CTO Foundation in support of disaster relief and tourism restoration in Jamaica and Haiti, assisting tourism workers whose livelihoods were impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Saturday features the signature “Reimagining Caribbean Tourism Together” summit, a high-level gathering aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. The weekend culminates with the annual Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Awards & Fundraiser on Sunday, December 7. A full program-at-a-glance is available at https://bit.ly/caribbeanweekend.

CMEx Laureate Spotlight: Shomari Scott

The spotlight on the 2025 CMEx laureates continues, with celebrations set for Sunday, December 7, at Loews Coral Gables Hotel in Miami. Shomari Scott is Chief Business Officer for Health City Cayman Islands, a pioneering health care facility founded by renowned heart surgeon Dr. Devi Shetty. For more than decade, Scott has played a defining role in transforming the hospital’s vision into reality, leading brand development, marketing and strategic partnerships. His innovative approach has elevated Health City into a symbol of quality and compassion in health care across the Caribbean, with features in USA Today, Forbes and Harvard Business Review underscoring its reputation. Before joining Health City, Scott dedicated 18 years to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, rising from intern to Director of Tourism. His strategic vision helped drive a 25 percent increase in arrivals during the global recession, proving his ability to deliver results under pressure. A passionate advocate for youth, Scott has combined his love of basketball with community service, mentoring young people and providing positive outlets. His commitment earned him the Young Caymanian Leadership Award in 2013 and recognition as an Emerging Pioneer in Tourism at National Heroes Day in 2017. Scott’s leadership extends across civic and educational spheres. He has served on the boards of the National Housing Development Trust, Civil Service Complaints Commission, and Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, where he was President. His roles as Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors at University College of the Cayman Islands and Chair of the Education Council reflect his dedication to advancing education and community development. He also played a critical role in the Cayman Islands’ COVID-19 response through Health City, and chaired the Social Services and Health Care vertical of the government’s Strategic Economic Advisory Committee. A graduate of Stetson University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Scott has applied his skills to create lasting impact in both health care and tourism. His influence on brand identity, strategic communication and community development continues to shape the region, solidifying his legacy as a transformative leader. The CMEx Leadership Awards is powered by Platinum Sponsor Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation. Other sponsors include Barbara Pyle Foundation; Calabash Cove Resort & Spa (St. Lucia); Carnival Corporation & plc; Chukka Caribbean Adventures; Coco Palm (St. Lucia); Comfort Suites Paradise Island (Bahamas); Grenada Tourism Authority; Jade Mountain (St. Lucia); Ladera Resort (St. Lucia); Marketplace Excellence Corporation; Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort (Grenada); Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board (Bahamas); Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour (St. Kitts); Rodman Marketing Guru; Round Hill Hotel and Villas (Jamaica); The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission; The Decker/Royal Agency; Tortuga Rum Company; Tropical Attractions; Tropical Shipping; Unique Vacations Inc. (the worldwide representative of Sandals & Beaches Resorts); and Vanessa James Media. For tickets and details, visit cmexmedia.org.

Photo Flashback to 2019 with Lord Relator at CMEx

Celebrated Caribbean calypsonian Willard Harris, known onstage as Lord Relator, brought his artistry to the 2019 CMEx Leadership Awards in Miami. 

The 1980 National Calypso Monarch of Trinidad and Tobago — nicknamed “the local Sammy Davis Jr.” — is an accomplished guitarist who plays everything from the cuatro to the double bass. Renowned for his mastery of extempo, Relator has inspired audiences worldwide with his lyrical brilliance and vibrant cultural performances.

Quotable Caribbean

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” — Shirley Chisholm, Caribbean-American politician, who was the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress

“Hurry-hurry never done.” 

This Caribbean proverb offers a gentle caution against rushing through tasks. It teaches that when we act in haste, we often make mistakes that force us to retrace our steps, wasting more time than if we had approached the task carefully from the start. The wisdom lies in its simplicity: true efficiency comes from patience and doing things right the first time. In a culture that prizes thoroughness and care, this saying reminds us that meaningful progress is built on steady, deliberate effort — not on speed alone.

Medical Moment

World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week takes place from November 18 to 24. Medicines are vital for treating infectious diseases, but their overuse and underuse accelerate resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites no longer respond to medicines designed to kill them. This reduces the effectiveness of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, making infections harder — or sometimes impossible — to treat. When treatments fail, infections linger in people and animals, giving microbes more time to spread through coughing, sneezing, contact, food, water or the environment. The result is a higher risk of severe illness and death.

The 2025 theme, “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future,” is a reminder that everyone has a role to play:

• Health professionals should prescribe antimicrobials only when truly necessary.
• Patients should follow medical guidance carefully and complete the full course of treatment.
• Farmers and veterinarians can reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use in animals.

By acting together, we can preserve the effectiveness of life-saving medicines today and secure a healthier future for all.

Marketplace Excellence Corporation (MPE) is a global public relations, marketing and media company.