The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), together with the St. Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association and the St. Lucia Tourist Board, are preparing to host Caribbean Marketplace 2009 for the first time in the Eastern Caribbean, Jan. 18-20, 2009 in Gros Islet, St. Lucia.

All business meetings will take place in a fully air-conditioned temporary structure that is being erected in Gros Islet beside The Landings. The business floor will be 63,000 sq. ft., which is 50 percent larger than the floor at the Atlantis Paradise Island (a traditional venue for the event), accommodating over 400 booths representing more than 500 hotel and tourism companies.

In 2008, there were over 1,000 supplier delegates representing 381 supplier companies from 32 countries in addition to the 369 buyer delegates from 148 companies representing 22 countries.

Caribbean Marketplace provides a forum for business meetings that match buyers and suppliers through a computerized program of appointments, making it much easier to conduct business meetings. In 2008, CHTA pre-scheduled 16,172 appointments before the start of last year’s Caribbean Marketplace.

Supplier participation at Caribbean Marketplace 2009 requires the purchase of a booth. Booth rentals are priced as follows: $610 per hotel for a small shared booth (two small hotels share 6 ft. x 8 ft. space), $1,010 for a small booth (6 ft. x 8 ft.), $1,910 for a large booth (8 ft. x 8 ft.) and $2,210 for a mega booth (10 ft. x 8 ft.).

CHTA has arranged for special hotel rates for Caribbean Marketplace delegates at a number of hotels throughout St. Lucia. The deadline for special hotel rates is Dec. 12, 2008.

In addition to CHTA and St. Lucia, sponsors of Caribbean Marketplace 2009 include American Express, Caribbean Travel & Life, Foster’s Group, Interval International, Pegasus Solutions, Starwood Caribbean Collection, and Virgin Holidays.