September a busy month for Caribbean travel conferences

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — September is shaping up as a conference-crowded month for the Caribbean travel industry.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization will host its annual State of the Industry Conference at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef Morning Star Beach Resort in St. Thomas, Sept. 17-19.

Coming up three days later is the annual Jamaica Travel Exchange, Sept. 21-23 at the Montego Bay Convention Center in Jamaica.

Either before or after the two industry events will be the debut of a third conference, according to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

“The new event, called the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Education Fund, actually is a replacement for the old Caribbean Hotels Industry Conference that was held each June for 30 years,” said Richard Doumeng, CHTA president.

The event, then as now, is designed to support CHTA’s allied members through workshops and seminars and give them access to to a trade show to showcase their products that support the hotel industry, according to Doumeng.