GREAT BAY–The Caribbean Tourism Organization will host its 2026 Air Connectivity Summit in Bermuda on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, bringing together senior public and private sector leaders to map out practical solutions for stronger air access across the region, a priority that has direct implications for destinations like St. Maarten that depend on consistent, affordable lift to sustain tourism growth year-round.
St. Maarten’s Minister of TEATT, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, is expected to participate as part of the summit’s minister-level engagement. For St. Maarten, air connectivity is not only a tourism issue, it is an economic lifeline that affects hotel occupancy, cruise pre and post stays, events and festival travel, business traffic, and the ability of residents and workers to move efficiently between islands. Stronger airlift also supports competitiveness, because route frequency, schedules, and seat costs influence whether travelers choose St. Maarten directly or route through other hubs.
The one-day summit is themed “Integrating Aviation and Regional Tourism Development” and is positioned within the CTO’s broader Reimagine Plan, following consultations with the organization’s Ministerial Council, Board of Directors, and Airlift Committee. Organizers said discussions will focus on improving air access, supporting sustainable route development, and aligning aviation strategy with regional tourism growth. Participants are also expected to explore new partnerships and identify practical, workable approaches to shared airlift challenges facing the Caribbean, issues that can affect everything from seasonal demand swings to route viability and destination marketing performance.
The Air Connectivity Summit will be held alongside CTO’s Spring Business Meetings, scheduled for February 23 at The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club. The Spring Meetings will convene CTO leadership, member countries, allied members, and industry stakeholders for business sessions, bilateral engagements, and strategic discussions, creating a wider decision-making platform in advance of the dedicated summit and allowing destinations to connect directly with aviation and tourism partners in one setting.
CTO said participants will include tourism ministers, directors of tourism, officials from ministries of transport and finance, airport executives, senior airline leaders and route planners, infrastructure developers, regulators, sustainability and innovation experts, regional and international trade associations, research firms, media, and local tourism stakeholders from Bermuda. That cross-section matters for St. Maarten because the outcomes that shape air access are rarely controlled by one actor. Route performance depends on coordinated policy, airport capacity, airline strategy, and destination demand generation, alongside wider cost pressures affecting airlines and travelers.
Program highlights will include a keynote address on the current state and outlook for Caribbean aviation, a presentation of a CTO air connectivity study by ASM, panel discussions on international and intra-regional route development, a ministerial dialogue focused on Caribbean airlift strategy, and sessions examining the connection between aviation infrastructure and tourism development. CTO said the summit is designed to move beyond general discussion and toward alignment on actions that can strengthen connectivity and support regional tourism development.
For destinations like St. Maarten, participation in a forum focused on practical airlift solutions is closely tied to growth, resilience, and economic stability, because every additional route, frequency increase, or improved connection has the potential to expand visitor access, support local jobs, and strengthen the wider tourism economy.
Source: The Peoples Tribune https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/st-maarten-to-join-essential-regional-airlift-strategy-talks-at-cto-summit-in-bermuda
