The future Caribbean traveller is already here: Saint Lucia breakfast puts inclusion on the region’s agenda
Tourism leaders, hoteliers and partners met in Saint Lucia to explore how the Caribbean can welcome every traveller, and why doing so makes sound business sense.
On 22 October, tourism leaders gathered at Harbor Club – Curio Collection by Hilton in Saint Lucia for The Future Caribbean Traveller, an executive breakfast hosted by the Inclusive Travel Forum (ITF) with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA).
The question for the morning was simple: who is the traveller of tomorrow, and is the Caribbean ready to welcome them?
A market the region cannot afford to overlook
The numbers set the tone. About 85 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean live with a disability, and 1.3 billion people do worldwide, 16% of the global population. In the UK alone, a key source market, the spending power of disabled people and their households is worth £274 billion a year.
The opportunity reaches well beyond disability. One in seven people in the UK are neurodivergent. Muslim travellers made 176 million international trips in 2024, and their spending is expected to reach US$230 billion by 2030.
Narendra Ramgulam, Deputy Director of Sustainable Tourism at CTO, urged the industry to see this market not as "a liability" but as "something that can bring tremendous value".
A regional commitment
Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary General and CEO, Caribbean Tourism Organization, delivering the keynote
In her keynote, Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary General and CEO of CTO, set out the organisation’s commitment to helping its members prepare for the future Caribbean traveller. That support will come through training, collaboration and advocacy. She was clear that this matters now: travellers are changing, and destinations that keep pace will lead.
Saint Lucia: positive, authentic and building for access
Louis Lewis, CEO of SLTA, explained how Saint Lucia is approaching the opportunity. The island is keeping its message positive and building on its strengths in authentic cultural experiences and romance.
He pointed to the new airport, which will have enhanced accessibility, and to SLTA’s work with other government agencies and infrastructure partners. The aim is to make Saint Lucia more accessible for residents and visitors alike.
Five shifts reshaping travel
ITF founder Atlyn Forde shared five shifts changing how people choose and experience destinations:
1. Who travels is changing.
2. Accessibility is an expectation, not an extra.
3. Travellers want to belong, not just visit.
4. Sustainability now includes people.
5. AI is the new front door.
"Destinations that understand and plan for every traveller will be the most competitive."
What it looks like in practice
Panellists: Atlyn FordeNarendra Ramgulam, Louis Lewis, Mervin Agiste and Erwin Louisy
The panel brought the shifts down to earth. Mervin Agiste, Resident Manager at Harbor Club, described how personal service now starts at booking: "Every guest expects personalisation … you’re basically rolling out the welcome mat for the guests even before they arrive."
Erwin Louisy, Managing Director of Barefoot Holidays DMC and President of the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association, spoke about the visitor journey beyond the hotel: "People are very sensory. They want immersive experiences."
What the room told us
In a live poll, guests chose the shifts they are already seeing in their work. Two tied for first place, each with 31% of votes: travellers wanting to belong, not just visit, and AI becoming the new front door. Next came who travels is changing (15%) and accessibility as an expectation (12%). Sustainability that includes people drew 8%, which shows where awareness of the purple economy still needs to grow. Only 4% said they were seeing none of these shifts yet.
Guests also put ten questions to the panel and to each other. Four themes stood out:
• Policy and legislation: which laws the Caribbean should prioritise to support inclusion, and how regional action across OECS countries can complement national policy.
• Infrastructure and connectivity: transformative accessibility at airports, and air links that make Saint Lucia reachable from new and distant markets.
• Community first: raising awareness of tourism’s value among citizens, and making Saint Lucia more accessible for residents with disabilities as well as for visitors.
• Reputation: what sets Saint Lucia apart, and how the industry can work together on safety and perceptions.
These questions are a clear signal that the region wants practical, joined-up action. They will shape the training, resources and partnerships ITF develops next, and we will share them with our partners at CTO and SLTA.
To close the morning, each guest named one change they will make in the next 12 months.
Representatives from the Saint Lucia National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)
From conversation to action
Every business can start with small, practical steps:
• Make access information easy to find before guests book.
• Ask every guest about their needs before they arrive.
• Train front-line teams to welcome every guest with confidence.
• Review your images and language so more travellers can see themselves in them.
• Check how AI tools and search engines describe your business.
To help, ITF has created Ready for Every Traveller, a free 10-minute checklist for auditing your inclusive and accessible practice. Download the checklist
Work with us
ITF works with destinations, hotels, attractions and tour operators through consulting, advisory, training and inclusive communications. We help turn good intentions into practical changes that guests notice and that make business sense.
To talk about how we can support your organisation, email info@inclusivetravelforum.org or visit inclusivetravelforum.org.
Thank you to CTO, SLTA, Harbor Club and all our speakers and guests for a morning of honest, energising conversation.