Christine Valls, Managing Director for the Caribbean and Latin America at United Airlines, will keynote the Caribbean Women in Tourism Leadership Dinner & Awards during Caribbean Week in New York 2026.
NEW YORK--A record post-pandemic gathering of Caribbean tourism leaders is convening in Manhattan this week as Caribbean Week in New York 2026 officially opened on Monday, June 1, bringing together ministers, commissioners and industry stakeholders from across the region to discuss the future of Caribbean tourism.
Organised by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the annual event coincides with Caribbean American Heritage Month and is being held at the InterContinental New York Times Square under the theme “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences.”
The week-long summit comes at a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and evolving international travel markets, with regional leaders seeking to strengthen economic resilience, improve connectivity, expand tourism opportunities and present a unified Caribbean voice on the global stage.
Among those attending are tourism ministers and commissioners from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint-Martin, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Representatives from Curaçao, Belize and Saint Lucia are also expected to participate.
St. Eustatius ise represented by Commissioner of Tourism Rechelline Leerdam, while neighbouring St. Kitts and Nevis is represented by Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson.
CTO Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer Dona Regis-Prosper said Caribbean Week provides a critical platform for regional collaboration during a period of rapid global change.
“In a world experiencing rapid geopolitical shifts, Caribbean Week in New York is a vital arena for strategy development, risk mitigation and collective action,” Regis-Prosper said. “As leaders from across the region come together, Caribbean Week provides a powerful platform to showcase the innovation, resilience and limitless possibilities of Caribbean tourism.”
The opening ceremony featured a keynote address by CTO Chairman and Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill. Immediately afterward, ministers and commissioners participated in the popular “Around the Caribbean in 60 Minutes” session, providing updates on tourism developments across their respective destinations.
A key component of the week’s agenda was Tuesday’s closed-door Ministerial Council meeting, where regional leaders will discuss policy priorities, airlift challenges, tourism sustainability, infrastructure development and strategies to enhance the Caribbean’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Throughout the week, tourism officials are also meeting with travel advisors, tour operators, airline representatives, investors and international media to promote the region and strengthen tourism partnerships.
Other highlights of Caribbean Week 2026 include the Caribbean Media Awards, the CTO Foundation Scholarship Awards Luncheon and the Caribbean Women in Tourism Leadership Dinner and Awards. The latter event features a keynote address by Christine Valls and the launch of a new scholarship fund aimed at supporting women pursuing careers in tourism.
The conference programme focuses on several strategic themes, including airlift expansion, destination marketing, sustainable tourism development and technological innovation, all considered essential to ensuring the long-term growth and resilience of the Caribbean tourism industry.
The gathering is expected to reinforce regional cooperation and strengthen the Caribbean’s position as one of the world's leading tourism destinations.
