Caribavia 2025 – St Barth
CARIBAVIA is an exclusive Aviation Summit & Retreat. gathering 80+ aviation & tourism professionals from all around the globe. It is a unique Communication platform for all stakeholders of airlift in the Caribbean with results and solutions-oriented conferences.
Created by Commander Bud Slabbaert in 2016, CARIBAVIA is the only aviation forum in the Caribbean area, addressing local matters such as tourism and economic development through airlift. CARIBAVIA offers 3 days of conferences & workshops animated by 20 high quality speakers.
The 7th annual CARIBAVIA will be held June 10-12, 2025 on the 5-star island Saint Barth.
CARIBAVIA has grown to be the most significant results and solutions-oriented communication platform on the subject of ‘airlift’ in the Caribbean region. It has gained increased appreciation by international professionals and experts of the aviation, tourism and investment industries.
CARIBAVIA has become a movement to serve the region in matters related to airlift. CARIBAVIA 2025 will provide networking and opportunities, showcase the breadth of existing technologies, ongoing research and development, as well as commercial and non-commercial activities.
CARIBAVIA brings aviation, tourism and investment stakeholders together
Airlift is the common denominator of the interests of stakeholders in aviation, tourism, business development and investment industries. It is equally important to government decision makers.
CARIBAVIA brings together key stakeholders from industry, academia, government and international organizations to exchange best practices, research, lessons learned, challenges and opportunities.
Matters like inter-island transportation issues and opportunities require increased attention since they are needed to prepare for future changes in the region. Ongoing airlift and tourism activities need to be addressed collectively for better understanding and increased collaboration in order to improve the Caribbean airlift system.
CARIBAVIA is a non-profit initiative to serve the Caribbean region and an opportunity for parties abroad to reach out to the Caribbean. CARIBAVIA is independent and impartial.
The Founder: Bud Slabbaert
Lifelong Consultant in Business Development, Marketing and Communication, with a focus on Aviation, Tourism and Economic development, Bud has a deep passion and experience in the aviation industry. For example, he developed Business Aviation at 5 airports in Switzerland.
He is also an author, editor, publisher, columnist with close relationships within the international press.
“When organizing CARIBAVIA, we consider all aspects that will bring results and solutions. The event must be a win-win situation for all participants, be it attendees, sponsors, speakers, and media representatives. We are formatting and shaping CARIBAVIA towards the current needs and the future opportunities in the Caribbean region which is a dynamic process. We use foresight and look beyond current situations. When we heighten the level of communication between all stakeholders, we amplify the issues and intensify the exploration of new ways and means to improve air transportation and the positive impact on economies and communities of the Caribbean region. We are focusing on rising the quality and value of the content of presentations and information. Besides informing, much attention will be given to the development of education and training. Our future vision is to create a resource, research and development center from which all CARIBAVIA activities will be organized and coordinated.”
Former discussions
“Air Transportation Developments in the Eastern Caribbean” – Don McPhail, CEO of ECCAA (Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority), St. John, Antigua
“Flying to Paradise: The Role of Airlift in the Caribbean Tourism Industry” – Hye Sun Kim, Economist, Int. Monetary Fund of the Worldbank, Washington, DC
“Private Aircraft Charter & its Luxury Tourism Clientele” – A. Twidell, CEO PrivateFly “Airlift: The Caribbean’s Interstate Highway System” – Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace,
Principal Partner, Bedford Baker Group, Nassau, Bahamas
“The Pleasure of Flying to St. Barth” – Fabrice Danet and Bertrand Magras
“How the Caribbean is Presented in the Media Abroad” – Melanie Reffes, Travel journalist at USA Today and TV producer specializing in the Caribbean, Montreal
A few confirmed speakers for 2025 edition
“Future VTOL operations in the Caribbean” – by Adam Twidell, former CEO of PrivateFly and current Chairman of the Advanced Air Mobility Working Group of EBAA (European Business Aviation Association)
“Friendly Skies; Liberalizing Airlift in the Caribbean” – by Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, former Minister of Tourism in the Bahamas and General Secretary of the CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization)
“Private Aviation Connection Between the Caribbean and the High-End Source Market French Riviera” – by Umberto Vallino, Business Development Manager at Aéroports de la Cote d’Azur for 25 years.
2025 Registrations
The first 20 registrations are now open (upon invitation only)
Open participation will be limited to 50 registrations: Click here to register!
How to get to St Barths for Caribavia 2025
When you are flying to Saint Barth, you’ll first have to arrive at a connecting hub and transit. Because of the short runway the airport is served by small regional commercial aircraft and charters. These aircraft typically carry fewer than twenty passengers
Do you think that arriving via a hub is an obstacle? VVIPs and celebrities don’t think so!
Destination St.Barth is part of their lifestyle and NOTHING stops them from getting there.
When flying with major airlines of America or Europe on scheduled commercial flights, the transit hub could be St.Maarten (SXM), San Juan PR (SJU), Antigua (ANU) or Guadeloupe (PTP). Most online booking services will offer a flight schedule via St.Maarten.
Private/business jet passengers typically continue their travel from the above metioned hubs on a charter aircraft or helicopter. Anguilla (AXA) or St.Kitts (SKB) are additional transit hub options for this aviation segment.
St.Barth’s airport is officially called Aéroport de Saint-Barthélemy-Rémy-de-Haenen, named after Rémy de Haenen, an aviation pioneer and later mayor of Saint Barthélemy. De Haenen first landed on the site of what would become the airport in 1946. At the time, the area was used as pasture land for sheep.
Charter flights from anywhere to St.Barth or from St.Barth to anywhere can be arranged by BIRDY. Click here to book your private flight to CARIBAVIA 2025 in St Barth!
Sponsorship
CARIBAVIA believes in meaningful and effective sponsorships. A customized sponsor package can be created that will get attention for your brand, product, service or company. Inform us what may work best for you, and together we will work out a customized package that meets your marketing objectives and ensures the best results for your company.
The sponsorship may include several of the following. Depending on the chosen content of the package, the sponsorship amount will determined.
✧ Signage/banner opportunities (stage, railing, truss banners, etc.)
✧ Corporate logo on stage
✧ Corporate logo and mention in event PR
✧ Conference folders bearing your sponsor logo/branding. (sponsor provides folders)
✧ Speaking opportunities for company representative
✧ Main stage presentations
✧ Speaking opportunity at a select event (other than conference sessions)
✧ Exclusive sponsorship of an available event of your choice
✧ Right to use CARIBAVIA (Caribbean Aviation Meetup) logo
✧ Sponsor logo (hyperlinked) inclusion on the conference website www.caribavia.com
✧ Recognition at conference events
✧ Corporate press releases with event press kits
✧ Opportunity to distribute pre-approved sample items
✧ Right to exclusive sponsorship of a related program activity
✧ Networking breaks (30 minutes)
✧ Welcome Dinner
✧ Pool party (tbc)
✧ Pre- or post- conference workshop sessions (Monday or Friday)
✧ Education Sessions
✧ Private and exclusive events for a select few
✧ Static aircraft display
✧ Exhibition space at conference
✧ Banner display and/or table for distribution of materials at select event or networking breaks
✧ Passes for staff or guests to participate in all conference events
For sponsorship inquiries, please, fill out the Contact Form on this page.
CARIBAVIA’s Vision
To learn more about the vision behind CARIBAVIA, please visit the official website.
