TORONTO — Antigua and Barbuda is bringing its Black Pineapple Awards to Toronto this year, recognizing top-producing Canadian travel advisors at a gala on Dec. 1.

Announced during a recent Facebook Live by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), the 2026 awards gala will welcome top-selling advisors from across Canada. 

The gala was held in Antigua in 2024 and 2025, but will move to Toronto this year as Antigua and Barbuda prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November. ABTA’s Director of Tourism Tameka Wharton said the event would make it difficult for ABTA to adequately accommodate the travel community in the destination.

The global Black Pineapple Awards program will continue, with the next edition planned for 2027. A date has not yet been announced.

“You will be celebrated twice, possibly, because everybody who was awarded this year still has an opportunity to go to Antigua for the Black Pineapple Awards global, next year,” Wharton said.

Some top sellers will still have an opportunity to visit the destination this year. Wharton said the highest-performing advisors will travel to Antigua on Dec. 2, following the Toronto gala, and may bring a guest.

For 2026, ABTA is expanding the awards beyond its three established categories: “Most Individual Bookings Made,” “Most Room Nights Booked” and “Highest Total Value of Bookings.” Two new categories will recognize “Highest Group Booking Value” and “Top Performing Agency,” the latter intended for cases where multiple agents’ bookings are recorded under one agency owner.

The qualifying period runs from Oct. 1, 2025, to Nov. 6, 2026. Wharton encouraged advisors to review their records and log eligible bookings for the best chance of winning.

Advisors who need help recording bookings can contact ABTA’s administrative team at CanadaAdminSupport@visitaandb.com to learn more about its limited-edition ASAP (Admin Support for Agents Programme) concierge service.

Travel advisors can visit www.AntiguaBarbudaTA.com to become destination specialists and log bookings with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

Lead image caption: The winners circle of Canadian travel agents at the Black Pineapple Awards Gala in 2025 — Credit Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority