Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism strategy must generate greater economic value rather than focus solely on attracting more visitors, according to Tourism Authority Chief Marketing Officer Charmaine Spencer.

Spencer said the country must seek longer stays, increased visitor spending, stronger tourism businesses and wider benefits for local communities.

She was addressing the opening of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s two-day Marketing Strategy Meetings on September 15. The sessions brought together representatives from hospitality, aviation, yachting, sailing, sports, events and the meetings and incentives sector to establish priorities for the next two years.

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed 233,877 stayover visitors through August 2026, an increase of 0.9 per cent over the same period last year. The United States remained the leading source market, while arrivals from the United Kingdom and Canada grew by 11.2 per cent and 10.7 per cent, respectively.

Cruise arrivals are projected to approach 895,000 passengers by the end of 2026.

While describing those figures as encouraging, Spencer warned that the destination could not become complacent as global competition increases and travellers’ expectations change.

“These are positive indicators, but our ambition cannot simply be more visitors. It must be more value from tourism: longer stays, higher visibility, better spending, stronger businesses and greater benefits reaching our local communities and people,” she said.

She pointed to improved air connections across the Caribbean, North America, Europe and Latin America as another opportunity for growth. Planned runway improvements and the completion of a modern, visitor-friendly upland development are also expected to support the industry.

However, Spencer said the country must update its marketing approach to appeal to younger travellers while continuing to cultivate relationships with loyal repeat visitors.

She noted that tourists increasingly want personalised, authentic and meaningful experiences, while artificial intelligence and other technologies are changing how people research and book holidays.

“We cannot just market more. We have to market smarter,” Spencer said.

Among the priorities identified was what Spencer described as “visitor-base succession planning.” This would involve maintaining the country’s traditional markets while pursuing greater diversification in Latin America and other emerging regions.

She also advocated a stronger focus on high-value areas such as luxury travel, wellness, sailing and yachting, experiential tourism, and meetings and incentives.

Major events must also be marketed internationally as compelling reasons to visit the country, Spencer said. She named Carnival, Antigua Sailing Week, Culinary Month, cricket tournaments and music festivals as products with the potential to drive additional travel.

“They should be reasons to come to Antigua and Barbuda,” she said.

Spencer urged tourism officials to make greater use of data, digital marketing and artificial intelligence to understand travellers, personalise campaigns and determine whether promotional investments are producing results.

She also called for the country’s destination brand to be modernised and expanded beyond its familiar promotion of 365 beaches.

“Yes, we have 365 beaches, but we also have 365 reasons to experience something different: our sailing, our cuisine, our history, our culture, our wellness, our sports, our luxury, our adventure and, of course, our people,” Spencer said.

“Our greatest competitive advantage remains the warmth and authenticity of our people.”

Spencer said Antigua and Barbuda should also make better use of the international recognition it has received. The country was named the Caribbean’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination at the 2025 World Travel Awards and has received recognition for its romance, honeymoon, luxury and culinary offerings.

“These accolades are more than awards. They are marketing assets,” she said. “They give us credibility. They give us content. And they give us reasons to tell new audiences around the world why they should choose Antigua and Barbuda.”

Participants were challenged to decide which existing initiatives should continue, which should end and what new approaches should be adopted.

Spencer said the completed strategy must define the audiences Antigua and Barbuda wants to attract, clearly present the experiences being offered and establish measurable objectives and accountability.

“Our responsibility now is to be intentional and to bring those strengths together into a strategy that delivers sustainable growth, greater visitor value and greater opportunities for the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” she said.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: ABTA Targets Longer Stays, Higher Visitor Spending and Greater Local Benefits.