Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority USA Earns Recognition

Behind every splashy Caribbean food festival is a marketing operation working to keep the momentum going year-round — and Antigua and Barbuda’s US tourism arm just got recognized for doing exactly that.

In a release dated July 23, 2026, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority USA (ABTA) highlighted the success of its New York office’s communications strategy, which centers on two monthly newsletters: one for travel advisors and industry partners, another aimed specifically at the Antiguan and Barbudan diaspora community abroad. Both newsletters are reportedly achieving a 75% open rate — well above typical industry benchmarks — which ABTA credits to consistently timely, relevant content rather than generic promotional messaging.

The timing isn’t incidental. Antigua and Barbuda has spent the past several years building out Antigua and Barbuda Culinary Month each May, anchored by Restaurant Week, the Eat Like A Local campaign, and the Caribbean Food Forum, a regional hospitality symposium. Strong diaspora engagement feeds directly into that ecosystem, since diaspora travelers are often among the most reliable repeat visitors and word-of-mouth ambassadors for culinary events back home.

For travelers, the story is a reminder that food festivals don’t sustain themselves — the destinations getting the most attention (and reinvestment) tend to be the ones treating tourism marketing as an ongoing relationship rather than a seasonal push.

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