CHTA Celebrates 30th Anniversary Of Caribbean Marketplace, 22-24 Jan, 2012, The Bahamas

THE CARIBBEAN (Aug. 19, 2011) - The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Caribbean Marketplace - the industry event that has revolutionized the way business is conducted among industry stakeholders. CHTA anticipates that the 2012 edition of the event will continue the successes achieved at Caribbean Marketplace 2011 which saw the third largest attendance over the past decade as well as an increase in the number of crucial buyer companies by 20% and buyer delegates by 17%.

"Over the course of the past 30 years, the packaging of Caribbean vacations has changed because of the role Caribbean Marketplace has played in shaping the way business is conducted between tour operators, hoteliers, attractions and restaurants," said Josef Forstmayr, CHTA President. "In 2011, we saw a 22% increase in wholesaler buyer companies in attendance at Caribbean Marketplace which is a clear indication that there is a tremendous interest in Caribbean vacations across the globe."

Caribbean Marketplace 2012 will be held at the Atlantis, Paradise Island Jan 22-24, 2012 and presented by CHTA, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Hotel Association, the Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board, MasterCard and Virgin Holidays. Caribbean Marketplace is the requisite business-to-business marketing event for the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry. At Caribbean Marketplace, hoteliers meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with buyers from around the world.

Caribbean Marketplace 2011 had 1,518 delegates as compared to 1,362 in 2010 and an increase in the number of buyer companies by 20% and buyer delegates by 17%, up from 101 and 268 respectively in 2010. The number of scheduled appointments totaled 11,880 over the two-day event in 2011.

Registration
Wholesalers, tour operators, meeting planners and suppliers can register for Caribbean Marketplace via: http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-mp/event-mp-register.php. Log-in codes for online registration have been sent to all previous participants. Those who have not received a log-in code should contact CHTA at [email protected].

Buyer registration is $299 per person (after the third buyer delegate, the fee is reduced to $99 per additional delegate) and includes pre-scheduled appointments (if registration is received before Dec. 12, 2011), listing in the electronic Delegate Directory, opening cocktail reception, closing dinner, coffee breaks, entrance to all business and social functions, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers and shuttle bus service between host hotels and the Atlantis, Paradise Island.
Supplier participation at Caribbean Marketplace 2012 requires the purchase of a booth. Supplier delegate registration is $349 per person for registrations received by Aug. 31 and $429 per person for registrations received after Sept. 1. The registration fee includes pre-scheduled appointments (if registration is received before Dec. 12, 2011), listing in the electronic Delegate Directory, opening cocktail reception, closing dinner, coffee breaks, entrance to all business and social functions, and shuttle bus service between host hotels and the Atlantis, Paradise Island.

Booth rentals are priced as follows with fees increasing after Aug. 31:

• $670 per hotel (registered by Aug. 31) for a small shared booth (two small hotels share 6 ft. x 8 ft. space) with one appointment schedule included (44 appointment slots).
• $1,070 (registered by Aug. 31) for a small booth (6 ft. x 8 ft. space) with one appointment schedule included (44 appointment slots).
• $1,970 (registered by Aug. 31) for a large booth (8 ft. x 8 ft.) with two appointment schedules included (88 appointment slots).
• $2,270 (registered by Aug. 31) for a mega booth (10 ft. x 8 ft.) with two appointment schedules included (88 appointment slots).

Hotel accommodations and daily lunch are NOT included in the registration fee for buyers or suppliers. Lunch is available to delegates for an additional $30 per person, per day for registrations received prior to Jan. 16 and $35 per person, per day for requests received after Jan. 16.

CHTA has arranged for special hotel rates for Caribbean Marketplace delegates at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, Comfort Suites Paradise Island and Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort. The deadline for special hotel rates is Dec. 23, 2011 (based on space availability). For a complete list of hotel rates and reservation procedures, visit: http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-mp/event-MP-where.phpand click on the "Where" tab.
For more information or to register, contact CHTA at 305-443-3040 or e-mail: [email protected].

Conference Organizers & Sponsors
In addition to CHTA, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Hotel Association and the Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board, sponsors of Caribbean Marketplace 2012 include: host sponsors MasterCard and Virgin Holidays as well as American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, Caribbean Travel + Life, Exposure4 Video Production, IHG - InterContinental Hotels Group, Interval International, Starwood Caribbean Collection, STR, Travelzoo, TripAdvisor, and Utell -Pegasus.