Anguilla to Host Inaugural CTO Sports Tourism Summit in 2027

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Anguilla will host the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s first-ever Sports Tourism Summit from Aug. 12–14, 2027, the CTO announced during its State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Georgetown, Guyana.

From left: CTO Business Development and Marketing Manager Taraneh Azimi; CTO Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper; Anguilla Minister of Health, Tourism and Sports Cardigan Connor; and Anguilla Director of Tourism Jameel Rochester in Georgetown, Guyana, during SOTIC 2026, where Anguilla was announced as host of CTO’s inaugural Sports Tourism Summit in 2027The announcement gives the Caribbean a dedicated regional platform to examine the fast-growing intersection of sports, tourism and economic development.

The summit will bring together tourism and sports officials, event organisers, athletes, sports organisations, destination marketers, private-sector partners and other stakeholders.

Under the SOTIC theme “Tourism Futures: Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive,” Caribbean tourism leaders said the new event will focus on how destinations can use sports to attract visitors, stimulate economic activity, strengthen destination brands and create opportunities for local communities.

“Sports is one of the most powerful connectors we have in the Caribbean, and its potential as a driver of tourism deserves greater regional attention,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, CTO secretary-general and CEO.

“This summit will create a dedicated space for destinations to share ideas, build partnerships and look more strategically at how sporting events and experiences can contribute to tourism growth while generating meaningful benefits for our people. Anguilla is an excellent destination in which to begin that conversation.”

For Anguilla, hosting the inaugural summit is a chance to build on its growing sports-tourism focus while showcasing its wider tourism product and its capabilities in the meetings, incentives, conferences and events market.

Cardigan Connor, Anguilla’s minister of health, tourism and sports and a former first-class cricketer, said the role reflects the island’s ambition to play a larger part in Caribbean sports tourism.

“Having spent much of my life in sports, I have seen firsthand the doors it can open,” Connor said. “Anguilla sees tremendous potential at the intersection of sports and tourism, not only to attract visitors and generate economic activity, but also to provide pathways to training, international exposure, scholarships and careers for young Anguillians and Caribbean nationals.”

Connor pointed to Anguilla’s expanding sports ecosystem, including its established tennis culture and growing golf reputation, as a strong foundation.

“Sports bring people together and generate reasons to travel,” he said. “With our tennis facilities, championship golf offerings and deep sporting traditions, we have an opportunity to position Anguilla more deliberately in this market. Hosting the first CTO Sports Tourism Summit allows us to showcase our strengths while helping to advance a regional conversation around this burgeoning market.”

He also highlighted the link between sports, tourism and health, including the possibility of using sporting initiatives to raise funds for people affected by cancer.

Reflecting on the disease’s impact on the Caribbean cricketing community and families across the region, Connor said sports can bring people together in support of a shared cause.

Anguilla has long included sports tourism in its destination development strategy, with sporting events and activities complementing its strength in luxury leisure travel, culinary experiences, wellness and other niche markets.

Jameel Rochester, director of tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board, said the summit will introduce more tourism professionals and industry partners to the full Anguilla experience.

“For Anguilla, sports tourism is about much more than staging an event. It is about creating another compelling reason to visit the destination and then connecting those visitors with our accommodations, restaurants, beaches, culture, experiences and, most important, our people,” Rochester said.

“The summit allows us to demonstrate that a small destination can develop distinctive experiences, build smart partnerships and deliver the high level of hospitality for which Anguilla is known.”

Additional details on the CTO Sports Tourism Summit, including venue, program, speakers and registration information, will be announced in the coming months.