Bermuda is preparing to welcome some of the most influential voices in Caribbean aviation and tourism as it hosts the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Air Connectivity Summit in February 2026, a landmark gathering designed to tackle one of the region’s most persistent barriers to growth: how easily travelers can get to and move around the Caribbean. For Bermuda, the summit represents both a diplomatic and economic opportunity, positioning the island as a thought leader in regional air access at a time when competition for visitors and airline routes is intensifying worldwide.
Bermuda Steps Onto the Regional Stage
The decision by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) to stage its 2026 Air Connectivity Summit in Bermuda underscores how the North Atlantic territory is increasingly positioning itself as part of the wider Caribbean tourism conversation. Although geographically distinct from the chain of islands that arc from the Bahamas to Trinidad, Bermuda is a long-standing associate in regional tourism forums and shares many of the same airlift challenges as destinations to its south.
The summit is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2026, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Hamilton, as part of the CTO’s Spring Meetings and Industry Forum being held in Bermuda from February 22 to 25. The event follows Bermuda’s formal bid and announcement at a CTO Council of Ministers meeting in Miami in December 2025, marking the first time the island has hosted a CTO event of this scale.
Bermuda’s Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport, working alongside the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), has framed the summit as a strategic opportunity to showcase the island’s hospitality infrastructure, from modern air and port facilities to its well-regarded hotel product. Government officials have emphasized that hosting the CTO’s leadership and airline decision-makers is not only about prestige, but about using Bermuda as a living case study for how air access, resilience and innovation can be integrated into tourism planning.
For the CTO, selecting Bermuda also sends a signal about the organization’s evolving geographic and political reach. The summit will convene ministers and tourism chiefs from across the Caribbean’s Dutch, English and French speaking destinations, along with allied members and private sector partners, reinforcing that air connectivity is a regional issue that transcends strict geographic definitions and requires shared, cross-border solutions.
Inside the Air Connectivity Summit Agenda
The CTO Air Connectivity Summit will unfold as a one-day, high-intensity forum built around the theme “Integrating Aviation and Regional Tourism Development.” Rather than a general tourism conference, it is tightly focused on the mechanics of airlift: route planning, landing costs, regulatory environments, scheduling, infrastructure investments and the commercial realities that shape airline decisions.
Key elements of the program include a keynote address on the current state of Caribbean aviation, the presentation of a CTO air connectivity study prepared by specialist consultancy ASM, and a series of panel discussions that bring together airline executives, airport operators, tourism ministers and regulators. The aim is to move beyond broad statements of intent and into data-driven conversations about what is needed to sustain or grow routes, and how governments and destination marketers can work more effectively with carriers.
The ASM study is expected to be a focal point, providing a detailed snapshot of regional air services, including trends in capacity, fares, load factors and route performance. With many Caribbean destinations competing for a limited pool of aircraft and facing mounting operational costs, this kind of granular analysis is regarded as essential for planning incentives, joint marketing campaigns and infrastructure upgrades that align with airline strategies.
The summit’s design also encourages a blend of public dialogue and behind-closed-doors negotiation. Formal sessions on stage are expected to be complemented by bilateral meetings, corridor conversations and impromptu strategy sessions between destination representatives and carriers, all taking place within the Hamilton Princess’s conference spaces and lounges.
Key Players Shaping the Discussion
The CTO has signaled that the Bermuda summit will attract a high-caliber roster of participants. Tourism ministers and directors of tourism from across the Caribbean are set to attend, joined by senior officials from ministries of transport and finance, regional and international aviation regulators, and infrastructure developers involved in airport expansions and modernization projects.
On the airline side, executives and route planners from major North American and European carriers with Caribbean networks are expected, alongside regional airlines that stitch together smaller islands and secondary gateways. Industry reports have highlighted anticipated participation from global brands such as American Airlines, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic, together with intra-Caribbean operators and aviation service companies that specialize in route development and air service negotiations.
CTO Secretary General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper has emphasized that the summit’s value lies in having all of these decision-makers in one room at the same time. By convening ministers, airline strategists, airport operators and tourism boards together, the event is designed to break down silos that have historically hampered coordinated action on airlift, where one part of the system moves ahead while another lags behind.
From Bermuda’s side, Minister of Tourism and Transport Owen Darrell and senior leaders from the Bermuda Tourism Authority, including acting CEO and COO Erin Wright, are expected to play prominent roles. Their focus will be on showcasing Bermuda’s readiness to support sustainable air growth while learning from regional peers that have navigated route recovery and expansion in the post-pandemic landscape.
Why Air Connectivity Is Central to Caribbean Tourism Growth
While cruise ships and yachts are major contributors to visitation in many island economies, air travel remains the critical enabler for high-value overnight tourism across the Caribbean. Airlift influences not just the volume of arrivals, but also the type of visitor, length of stay and overall spending levels. Capacity constraints or inconvenient flight schedules can dampen demand, while competitive fares and seamless connections can open new markets and support year-round tourism rather than just peak-season surges.
In recent years, Caribbean destinations have faced a complex environment. Some islands have seen a robust rebound in air arrivals, while others have struggled to restore pre-pandemic capacity or secure new routes, particularly from secondary North American and European cities. Rising fuel prices, aircraft shortages, labor constraints and changing airline network strategies have all added layers of difficulty for small destinations that rely heavily on a handful of carriers.
Bermuda itself has seen how sensitive air arrivals can be to broader aviation dynamics. Recent tourism data from 2025 showed that while overall air visitor numbers across the first nine months of the year were broadly flat compared with 2024, there were noticeable month-to-month fluctuations and a decline in key markets such as the United States. These trends have sharpened the island’s focus on protecting existing routes and exploring new opportunities for connectivity, both seasonally and year-round.
For the wider Caribbean, the stakes are even higher. Many islands depend on tourism for a substantial share of GDP and employment, making stable and diversified air access a matter of economic security. Air connectivity is also deeply linked to resilience planning, as destinations seek to maintain critical links in the face of hurricanes, global health crises or financial shocks that can cause airlines to redeploy aircraft at short notice.
The Role of Bermuda’s Tourism Strategy
Bermuda’s decision to host the CTO Air Connectivity Summit dovetails with its broader efforts to reset and reinvigorate its tourism sector after several challenging years. The Bermuda Tourism Authority has been working to deepen relationships with airline partners, tour operators and online travel agencies through initiatives such as the Bermuda International Partner Summit, also held at the Hamilton Princess, which brings global travel trade leaders to the island for focused engagement.
By welcoming the CTO’s membership and airlift stakeholders to Bermuda, local authorities are effectively running a live demonstration of the island’s value proposition. Delegates will experience first-hand the ease of transit through L.F. Wade International Airport, recent improvements in hotel inventory and product, and the island’s appeal as a premium, year-round destination positioned within short-haul reach of major East Coast cities.
This kind of hosting strategy has a dual purpose. On one hand, it aims to influence airline perceptions, encourage capacity commitments and highlight opportunities for new routes or enhanced seasonal services. On the other, it helps reposition Bermuda within the regional ecosystem, not just as a competitor for visitors but as a partner in shared challenges, from sustainable growth and climate resilience to data-driven tourism planning.
Officials have also framed the summit as part of a long-term shift toward more collaborative, evidence-based tourism development. By aligning with the CTO’s Reimagine Plan and engaging with its Airlift Committee’s work, Bermuda is signaling that it wants to be involved in shaping regional standards, research initiatives and coordinated marketing efforts that could benefit the entire Caribbean.
Expected Outcomes for Air Routes and Partnerships
Though such summits rarely produce instant route announcements, they often lay the groundwork for medium-term changes in airline networks and destination strategies. In Bermuda’s case, hosting the CTO Air Connectivity Summit could help support negotiations around additional frequencies from key North American hubs, seasonal extensions of existing services or the exploration of new niche routes that connect the island to emerging source markets.
For Caribbean destinations more broadly, several potential outcomes have been highlighted in advance of the summit. These include a more coordinated regional approach to air service incentive programs, greater alignment between airport infrastructure investments and airline needs, and expanded use of shared data and market intelligence when negotiating with carriers. Destinations are also keen to discuss ways to make intra-Caribbean travel more seamless, through improved scheduling coordination, ticketing arrangements and, where feasible, regulatory harmonization.
Another anticipated area of progress lies in public and private sector collaboration. Tourism boards, hotel associations and airport operators are increasingly joining forces to co-fund marketing campaigns, risk-sharing agreements and route support mechanisms that make it more attractive for airlines to test or maintain services. The summit offers a venue for sharing case studies of what has worked in one market and might be adapted in another.
Industry observers also expect the Bermuda discussions to touch on the role of technology, from digital distribution and revenue management to data platforms that enable destinations to track performance in near real time. Harnessing these tools effectively could give Caribbean tourism leaders more leverage at the negotiating table and help them respond more quickly to changing travel patterns.
Challenges Ahead: Costs, Sustainability and Equity
Despite the optimism surrounding the summit, Caribbean air connectivity remains constrained by several structural challenges that will not be solved overnight. High operating costs, including fuel, airport fees and maintenance, are a constant concern for airlines serving relatively small markets spread across a large geographic area. These costs often translate into higher airfares, making the region less competitive when compared with other sun destinations.
Infrastructure limitations at some airports, ranging from runway length and terminal capacity to air traffic management systems, also restrict the range of aircraft that can be deployed and the efficiency of operations. While several Caribbean governments have invested heavily in new or expanded airports in recent years, others face fiscal constraints that make large capital projects difficult to finance without public private partnerships or long-term concessions.
Sustainability is another growing pressure point. As global focus intensifies on aviation emissions and the environmental footprint of long haul travel, Caribbean destinations must balance their dependence on airlift with commitments to climate resilience and green growth. This may involve encouraging airlines that deploy newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, adopting airport sustainability standards, and integrating carbon-conscious messaging into marketing and development plans.
Equity within the region is yet another concern. Larger or more established destinations with strong brand recognition and high volumes of visitors often find it easier to attract capacity, while smaller or more remote islands may struggle to maintain even minimal air service. One of the key tests of the Bermuda summit will be whether it advances ideas for more inclusive connectivity solutions that do not leave the smallest markets behind.
What This Means for Travelers and the Future of Caribbean Tourism
For travelers, the discussions in Bermuda may not be immediately visible, but their effects will be felt over time in the form of more route options, better schedules and, potentially, more competitive fares. Improved intra-Caribbean connections could make multi island itineraries more practical, encouraging visitors to see the region as a network of complementary destinations rather than a set of standalone rivals.
A more coordinated approach to connectivity also has the potential to enhance resilience for the region’s tourism economies. Shared strategies and information can help destinations respond more quickly to shocks, reroute traffic when one island is affected by a natural disaster, and collaborate on marketing campaigns that sustain demand during periods of global uncertainty.
For Bermuda specifically, successfully hosting the CTO Air Connectivity Summit could yield a reputational dividend that extends well beyond 2026. If delegates leave with a strong impression of the island’s infrastructure, professionalism and product, that perception may filter into boardrooms and strategy meetings when future route decisions are made. At the same time, the summit’s presence reinforces to residents and local businesses that air access and tourism remain central to Bermuda’s economic future.
As the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Air Connectivity Summit convenes at the Hamilton Princess, Bermuda will briefly become the nerve center of regional aviation and tourism policy. The conversations that take place there will help shape how easily visitors can experience the Caribbean’s beaches, culture and hospitality in the years ahead, and how well the region can turn improved air access into sustainable, inclusive growth.