Saint Lucia is set to host the inaugural Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Latin American Market Summit from May 5–6, 2027, as regional tourism officials move to deepen ties with the fast-growing Latin American travel market.

The announcement was made this week by the CTO during World Travel Market Latin America in Brazil.

The one-and-a-half-day summit will bring together Latin American airlines, tour operators, travel agents, media representatives and Caribbean destinations to explore new opportunities, build commercial partnerships and strengthen regional collaboration.

Organisers say the event will also feature panel discussions and keynote sessions focused on market research and trends, along with one-on-one business meetings and destination showcases from across the Caribbean.

A major focus will be improving air connectivity between the Caribbean and Latin America.

The summit is expected to build on findings from the CTO Air Connectivity Study, which identified capacity gaps and strong potential for expanded routes to key South American markets.

Countries including Argentina, Chile and Brazil have been highlighted as priority markets for new air services.

The initiative comes as South America continues to emerge as the Caribbean’s fastest-growing source market.

In 2025, arrivals from the region increased by 23.7 per cent to 2.4 million visitors.

Tourism officials have credited the growth to improved airlift, targeted marketing campaigns and rising outbound demand, helping to diversify the Caribbean’s traditional visitor base.