Source: Erasmus Williams FB
Photos courtesy of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA)
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — With a strong focus on increasing stayover arrivals to St. Kitts, Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Marsha T. Henderson, met with local hoteliers to discuss the “Way Forward” for 2026.
In her opening remarks, Minister Henderson highlighted a major milestone, confirming that St. Kitts officially surpassed its 2019 pre-pandemic benchmarks in 2025 by welcoming more than 168,838 stayover visitors.
Participants at the meeting expressed a shared commitment to a proactive strategy centred on brand integrity, destination readiness, and service excellence. According to a brief statement from the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA), key directives included an intentional push to stimulate travel demand, alongside a rigorous commitment to safety and service standards.
Minister Henderson also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors as the destination prepares to host several major events and moves toward homeporting operations by Carnival Cruise Line in St. Kitts in 2027. She noted that coordinated efforts will be essential to maximizing the benefits to the tourism industry and the wider economy.
Major events scheduled for 2026 include the 50th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government from February 24 to 27; the 5th American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Showcase from August 23 to 27; and the 28th edition of the St. Kitts Music Festival from June 25 to 27.
