Future trends in the luxury incentive travel market will be among the agenda items discussed when Barbados hosts the five-day Motivation Luxury Summit (MLS) from Saturday.
This is the first time the event, supported by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), will be held outside of continental Latin America and will bring together leading travel experts and meeting planners in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry .
BTMI chief executive officer, Andrea Franklin, says Barbados’ selection as the host for this year’s event underscores the island’s readiness to meet the growing needs of meeting planners and luxury travel experts.
“The decision to host the conference here really reaffirms that Barbados has indeed captured the attention of key decision-makers in the meetings and incentive industry, and that they see the island as a dynamic destination capable of providing everything needed for high-calibre events,” she said.
She said these ranges from providing professional services, innovative media or logistical solutions; culturally authentic activities; accommodation or simply the luxury experiences that all combine to create lasting impressions and memories.
The organisers said that the five day event will provide for activities designed to foster impactful connections and develop strategic partnerships.
The chief executive officer of FIEXPO Exhibitions Group and the MLS, Vivian Nardone, said Barbados’ consistent presence in the industry, and strategic approach to building its luxury brand, have cemented the island’s position in the international incentive travel market space.
“Barbados has been a strategic ally of the MLS from inception, and hosting the summit here only adds to the appeal of the event. Our tourism partners here have been committed to meeting the high standards and expectations of MLS delegates,” she said.
Tourism officials say that recent global events have shifted where international tourism leaders have traditionally looked when considering destinations for events and incentives.
“Hosting this event also aligns with Barbados’ strategic eRorts to grow its presence in the Latin American luxury market. Latin American arrivals have already grown by nearly 33%, underscoring the success of our expanded connectivity and strategic partnerships,” said BTMI’s director forLatin America, Corey Garrett.
“The successful staging of this event will be the island’s calling card to leaders in Latin America’s MICE industry, emphatically declaring that Barbados is open for future business. We already have a fantastic relationship with major players in the space, but hosting the MLS will further prove to key decisionmakers that we can host large-scale, multilingual business events alongside culturally rich, bespoke experiences.” (CMC)
