One of Travel's Biggest Advisor Groups Just Held Its First Caribbean Showcase Here
For the first time, ASTA took its Caribbean Showcase somewhere it had never gone before, spotlighting an island still building its resort base.
The American Society of Travel Advisors has held its first-ever Caribbean Showcase on the island of St Kitts, the first time the ASTA event has taken place outside a Sandals resort.
The 2026 edition kicked off at the St Kitts Marriott, bringing more than 100 U.S. travel advisors together with destinations and brands including The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, and Sandals Resorts. It capped a sustained push by St Kitts to deepen its engagement with the travel trade and raise its profile among the advisors who book much of the Caribbean's high-end business.
Why St Kitts wanted the spotlight
"This is one of the last truly unspoiled destinations in the Caribbean," St Kitts Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson told advisors, framing the island as the kind of under-the-radar destination today's travelers increasingly seek. St Kitts Tourism Authority CEO Kelly Fontenelle, who spearheaded the effort to host the event, led a panel on the industry's biggest questions, from how to define the new luxury to emerging wellness trends.
ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby said the group brought advisors to "kick the tires" and learn the island's hotels, activities, and character firsthand. A Monday trade show paired agents with suppliers, and Kerby used the stage to update advisors on ASTA priorities including commission recovery and its Verified program.
Hosting the showcase is a notable win for a small island still building its resort base, and a marker of the broader strength of the Caribbean travel trade. As Kerby put it, the region's proximity, safety, and familiarity continue to earn it "an outsized portion of American travelers."
