Every year tourism trade fairs take place in locations from Berlin to Hong Kong. These are international events where those involved in what is now a US$1,850B  global industry, meet to strike deals, promote their image and consider industry trends. These occasions act as a bellwether for the sector and by extension the fortunes of those nations and regions that depend on tourism to maintain economic stability and growth.

World Travel Market (WTM), which took place in London, last week was no exception. This huge event attended, the organisers suggest, by 47,000 industry professionals, provided an indication of the opportunities and challenges that the industry generally and the Caribbean more specifically now face.

At its most simplistic the selling floor at WTM indicated how aggressive competition in the travel market has become. There, enormous and modern display spaces had been created by…..