St. Kitts is said to start the new year than at an optimistic note in this year’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) which ended the Caribbean Marketplace in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

According to Caribbean Net News, St. Kitts was measured to show progress in the development and promotion of the island tourism industry and a positive outlook for 2010.

Message from St. Kitts delegation is that St. Kitts is “” island to watch for the coming year and beyond.

While in the Marketplace, St. Kitts delegates have the opportunity to meet and interact with key tour operators and / or wholesalers that includes the travel industry and the Caribbean region, while also networking with select journalists, distribution systems, and publishing companies. Two-day event consists of pre-scheduled appointments between suppliers and buyers as well as various social events and receptions.

“Taking part in CHTA Caribbean Marketplace is the best way to start our efforts for the year 2010,” said Mrs. Rosecita Jeffers, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “The networking opportunities here are tremendous and we intend to take full advantage of all that you gave us. St. Kitts well on its way to become world class tourist destination and the new developments we continue to go forward, which gives us a lot of positive news to discuss with the participants of the event. ”

Moving forward in the year 2010, St. Kitts will maintain a strategic niche-based approach to the promotion of tourism products, and, with the growing influence of online and social media, St. Kitts will be more direct efforts to these tactics in the year 2010. To further support the uptick predictions for 2010 and encourage inbound travel, St. Kitts has expanded island-wide value-added programs. Island hotel and resort developments continue to progress through the various stages of planning and development. Environmental sustainability will be a key area of focus, as will the development of product standards to positively impact the overall visitor experience.

During the first quarter of 2010 alone, St. Kitts has a peak season, Delta Air Lines non-stop flight from Atlanta who had just commenced on December 23, 2009; British Airways will begin two direct flights from London Gatwick airport via Antigua on March 30, 2010 in addition to daily by American Airlines flight from Miami and twice-weekly flights from JFK in New York and U.S. Airways flights from Philadelphia and South Carolina.

Cruise arrivals for the 2009/2010 season peak set increased 18 percent during the previous season, approaching half a million mark for the first time in the history of the island.