Saint Lucia to host inaugural CTO Latin American Market Summit in 2027
Saint Lucia has been selected to host the first-ever Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Latin American Market Summit, scheduled for May 5–6, 2027. The announcement was made this week during World Travel Market (WTM) Latin America in Brazil. The one-and-a-half-day summit is intended to strengthen ties between Caribbean tourism stakeholders and the rapidly expanding Latin American […] The post Saint Lucia to host inaugural CTO Latin American Market Summit in 2027 appeared first on CNW Network.
Black News 
Saint Lucia has been selected to host the first-ever Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Latin American Market Summit, scheduled for May 5–6, 2027.
The announcement was made this week during World Travel Market (WTM) Latin America in Brazil.
The one-and-a-half-day summit is intended to strengthen ties between Caribbean tourism stakeholders and the rapidly expanding Latin American travel market. It will bring together Latin American airlines, tour operators, travel agents, media representatives and destination partners to explore opportunities, build commercial relationships and support regional cooperation.
Key objectives of the summit include positioning the Caribbean as a leading destination for Latin American travellers, sharing market data through panels and keynote presentations, facilitating direct business-to-business meetings, and strengthening collaboration with CTO Allied Members, ACI-LAC and other industry stakeholders. The event will also feature destination showcases from across the Caribbean.
A central focus will be improving air connectivity between the Caribbean and Latin America. Organisers plan to build on findings from the CTO Air Connectivity Study, which identified capacity gaps and strong potential for new air routes into South American markets such as Argentina, Chile and Brazil.
South America was the Caribbean’s strongest-performing source market in 2025, recording a 23.7 per cent increase to 2.4 million arrivals. Officials attributed this growth to improved air links, targeted marketing efforts and rising outbound demand, which has helped diversify traditional visitor markets.
Saint Lucia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ernest Hilaire, said the island is “honoured to host the 2027 CTO Latin American Market Summit with a strong focus on connectivity and strengthening ties with Latin America.”
Speaking in São Paulo at WTM Latin America, he added: “By targeting new direct links, we can open fresh markets, boost visitor numbers and revenue, and drive sustainable economic growth across the region’s communities.”
CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper said the summit would help convert research and insights into action.
“Hosting the 2027 summit in Saint Lucia with a dedicated focus on Latin America will allow us to turn insights into action — identifying new routes, forging partnerships, and delivering tangible benefits for our member countries,” she said.
The event will take place just ahead of the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival and is expected to include sessions on air route development, market intelligence and partnership-building initiatives
The post Saint Lucia to host inaugural CTO Latin American Market Summit in 2027 appeared first on CNW Network.
.png)
