Caribbean Tourism Projected To Remain Strong In 2024

Board members of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) recently met with Chapter Presidents from 50 U.S. states at the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort. President and CEO of ASTA Zane Kirby said the one thing the travel trade has noted is that many millennials who now occupy management positions are prioritizing travel, “Millennials are the largest age group within the United States over 70 million, and one of the interesting things is that they preference travel over almost any other discretionary spend, even over things like housing.” Kirby added that in spite of the online options, many travelers still turn to travel advisors to help manage their travel experience, and when the advisors have the opportunity to visit destinations like Antigua and other Caribbean islands, then it becomes much easier for them to promote and sell these destinations to clients, “The vast majority of them (tourists) when they are actually ready to book, they are going to go and find someone who has actual expertise and experience. That’s the one thing internet search engines don’t have, the actual onsite experience that our members are getting here this week.” Noting the increasing competition from other destinations all over the world,...