St. Maarten
The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association will host a regional tourism trade show May 25-27. The SMART 2011 show will feature displays from 12 islands in the region, including the Virgin Islands. The first two days of the conference will consist of appointment sessions for participants to discuss business possibilities. The third day will be devoted to workshops and site visits, according to a press release from the SHTA.
Region
The Caribbean Hospitality and Tourism Association will host the first ever Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Conference June 1-3. The event, which will be held at the Lloyd Sandiford Erskine Centre in Barbados, will bring together industry experts to discuss trends and economic forecasts for the industry, according to a CHTA press release.
Region
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced last week that the company’s first quarter net income of $0.42 per share exceeded last year’s Q1 results of $0.40 per share, beating analysts’ expectations. Chief Executive Officer Richard Fain said that all of the company’s brands exceeded their forecasts and that higher fuel prices were largely offset by hedging, the company announced in a press release. Political turmoil in North Africa and the disaster in Japan caused the company to alter some itineraries, but demand for cruises generally remains strong, according to the release.