Barbados' Tourism Master Plan to Be Put in Place by June

Totally Barbados is reporting that the highly touted initiative known as the Barbados Tourism Master Plan is to be in place by June of this year.

Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, briefed tourism stakeholders about the plan and shared some major highlights of the plan from infrastructure improvements to product development.

The plan, which has been in the making for well over one year, is the new template that the government, along with its private sector partners in tourism, are looking to refocus the industry which is the lead sector in the economy.

Currently the tourism industry is recording lower arrivals with the number of long stay visitors to the island having dipped eight percent so far in 2013, on top of a similar decline in calendar 2012.

According to Totally Barbados, the plan is to be instituted over 10 years (2012-2021). The emphasis will be on marketing, promotion, attracting new investment in the industry, and grow the industry in a manner that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Among the major highlights are infrastructure and product development; physical environment that covers land use patterns; improved transport systems; an improved regulatory framework to ensure that all components of the plan are adhered to; training for employees and marketing and promotion and product development.