The twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda has emerged as one of the top winners at the 2026 World Travel Awards, taking home three prestigious regional honors that underscore its growing reputation as a world-class tourism destination. The accolades were distributed during the 33rd annual World Travel Awards Caribbean and Americas Gala Ceremony, hosted this year at Jamaica’s Princess Grand property. The industry event drew hundreds of leading tourism and hospitality stakeholders from across the Caribbean and the Americas, creating a space to celebrate excellence and innovation in regional travel.
In the national destination category, Antigua and Barbuda earned the highly coveted title of Caribbean’s Leading Wedding Destination 2026. This recognition solidifies the country’s standing as one of the most sought-after locations for couples seeking to host destination weddings and intimate romantic celebrations, a key niche that the local tourism authority has prioritized in its international marketing efforts in recent years.
Two of the nation’s most high-profile resorts also took home regional honors, reflecting the strength of Antigua and Barbuda’s private hospitality sector. Sandals Grande Antigua claimed the title of Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort 2026, marking a return to the top spot for the property after Jamaica’s Sandals South Coast won the award in 2025. This win continues a historic winning streak for Sandals Grande Antigua, which held the title every year from 2014 through 2024, cementing its reputation as a staple in the Caribbean’s romantic luxury travel space.
Meanwhile, Curtain Bluff Resort added two new titles to its own collection of accolades. The property retained its title as the Caribbean’s Leading Green Resort for the second consecutive year, having first claimed the honor in 2025, and extended its multi-year winning streak as Antigua and Barbuda’s Leading Resort for 2026. Its back-to-back victory in the green resort category highlights the property’s ongoing commitment to sustainable hospitality and eco-friendly operations, a priority that resonates with increasingly eco-conscious global travelers.
All three wins are officially confirmed on the 2026 World Travel Awards public winners list. The awards highlight the breadth of Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism strengths, spanning niche destination weddings, luxury romantic getaways, and sustainable, environmentally conscious hospitality — three high-growth segments that draw high-spending international visitors to the region.
Officials from the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority welcomed the new honors, framing the recognition as a valuable boost to the nation’s international tourism profile at a time when it is ramping up global marketing efforts. The World Travel Awards, founded in 1993, is widely regarded as the most prestigious award program in the global travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors, with wins often used by destinations and properties to attract new visitors and industry investment.
In the overall destination category, official results confirmed that Jamaica claimed the title of Caribbean’s Leading Destination 2026. For Antigua and Barbuda, the three new wins add to a growing collection of regional tourism honors, and open new opportunities to market the nation’s powdery white-sand beaches, luxury accommodations, bespoke wedding experiences, and diverse tourism offerings to travelers worldwide planning luxury vacations, romantic escapes, and destination weddings.