ASTA Caribbean Showcase Underway in St. Kitts
BASSETERRE — Hundreds of travel advisors and senior tourism officials from across the Caribbean and the United States are in St. Kitts this week for the 2026 ASTA Caribbean Showcase, a five-day event running from Aug. 22-26 designed to give the region’s travel trade firsthand experience of the destination.
The showcase opened Aug. 22 with a Welcome Reception at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino, the event’s Accommodation Partner, bringing together travel advisors and industry partners for an evening described by organizers as setting the tone for a productive week.
A General Session followed at the Marriott’s ballroom, drawing senior government officials and tourism leaders from across the region. Speakers included the Hon. Marsha T. Henderson, St. Kitts’ Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, International Transport, Employment and Labour, and Urban Development; the Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis; the Hon. Dr. Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism and Maritime Affairs for St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism, Agriculture, Fisheries, Heritage and the Environment for the Turks and Caicos Islands; and the Hon. Luce Hodge-Smith, Junior Minister for Tourism and Culture for the British Virgin Islands. Zane Kerby, president and CEO of ASTA, hosted the session, which also included Gary Sadler, executive vice president for sales and industry relations at Unique Vacations. The session featured destination presentations and travel advisor briefings focused on the Caribbean’s tourism landscape and sustainable growth in the sector.
Travel advisors also toured hotel properties across the island as part of the showcase, including Park Hyatt St. Kitts, KOI Resort Saint Kitts and Royal St. Kitts Hotel, giving them firsthand insight into accommodations and amenities they can recommend to clients. Some advisors stopped at Timothy Hill Lookout, taking in the view where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The St. Kitts Tourism Authority represented the destination at the showcase’s trade exhibition, connecting with travel advisors, tourism boards and industry suppliers from across the Caribbean. Danielle Weekes, business development manager for the Northeast, and Drunisha Hanley, Caribbean sales and events officer, engaged advisors on the island’s tourism product and highlighted the St. Kitts Destination Specialist Programme and the SKY Programme, both aimed at equipping advisors to better position the destination.
The Ministry of Tourism and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority said building relationships with travel advisors remains central to their mission, describing the partners as a key bridge to travelers and a driver of bookings. Officials said the engagement during the showcase, including the curated hotel site visits, is intended to strengthen those ties and ultimately support the local economy.
ASTA, founded in 1931 as the American Steamship & Tourist Agents Association, is the world’s largest association of travel professionals and describes itself as the leading global advocate for travel advisors and the travel industry.
