Barbados: The Tourist Treasure of the Eastern Caribbean

In all the bevy of islands emerging in the Caribbean Sea, there is one destination that is doing particularly well in terms of tourism. In Barbados, where paradisiacal beaches, surfboards and the taste of rum delight tourists, policies are being implemented within the tourism industry.

This was made clear by Barbados' Minister of Tourism Ian Gooding-Edghill at the Caribbean Travel Marketplace -a benchmark event in the Caribbean tourism sector, which was celebrating its 41st edition- held last week in Bridgetown, the country's capital. Under the slogan "A world of differences", the head of the country's tourism policies explained the strengths of Barbados and the initiatives that have allowed the country to become one of the most attractive destinations in the Caribbean region. 

Known as "the island of two faces" because of the singularity it presents depending on the area of the island where you are - the coastline facing the Caribbean Sea is characterized by its long white-sand beaches, while the Atlantic Ocean coast is known for its rugged landscape, its cliffs, and its gusts of wind ideal for surf lovers -, the streets of its capital, whose historic center was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, evoke a colonial past with an architecture mainly from the seventeenth century. 

The Travel Industry, A Powerhouse for the Island's Economy

Ian Gooding-Edghill did not hesitate to take advantage of this opportunity at the Caribbean Travel Market to highlight the enormous role played by the tourism sector in Barbados' economic development. According to data handled by the administration, the sector contributes more than 50% of foreign currency earnings and employs approximately 14,000 people, so that the estimated contribution to GDP in 2022 was 10.04%. 

As is the case in other Caribbean destinations, Barbados has oriented its tourism offer, to a large extent, to wellness and sun and beach tourism, with a prominent presence of luxury accommodations throughout the island. This is the case of the Hilton Barbados Resort, a spectacular hotel with two white sand beaches and an infinity pool complex, guarded by the emblematic Charles Fort, the Sandals Royal Barbados - where the second edition of the Caribbean Travel Forum also took place - the Coconut Court Beach or the Southern Palms Beach. 

In all, the island has 10,743 rooms available, 1,167 vacation rentals and 82 villas. In addition, three new resorts are in the process of opening in Barbados: Wyndham Grand Resort, a 421-room all-inclusive hotel, the 132-room Hotel Indigo, set to open by the end of 2024, and Pendry Hotels & Resorts' Pendry Barbados and Pendry Residences Barbados, expected to open in 2026. 

Airlift and Cruises, Two Key Aspects of the Industry

As could not be otherwise, the Barbados Minister of Tourism made reference to two very significant issues to understand the great tourism recovery that the country has experienced. 

On the one hand, in relation to air connectivity Gooding-Edghill highlighted that Barbados is the aviation hub of the Eastern Caribbean, with 2.4 million passengers, per year, in addition to highlighting that, by the end of the summer, Barbados will have recovered 90% of the seats it had in 2019. He also highlighted the connection with Miami - there will be three daily flights from Miami from August 15 to September 5, by American Airlines -, the connection of the company Jet Blue, which will land 12,500 additional seats in Barbados, since it will double its daily service from New York during the summer period, the direct flights from London by Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, in addition to a significant improvement in the connections between Caribbean countries. 

He also highlighted the role of cruise ships in Barbados' tourism industry. He noted that the 2022/2023 winter cruise season saw a remarkable 86% recovery from pre-pandemic levels, and by the same time of year in 2023/2024, Barbados is expected to welcome 738,465 guests with cruise ships sailing at 100% capacity, which would bring pre-COVID numbers.  

MICE & Festival, A Great Opportunity for Caribbean Destinations

At the Caribbean Travel Forum, an event held prior to the Caribbean Travel Market where key aspects of the industry were discussed, the president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig, emphasized the promotion of festivals and thematic events as a lure for tourists from all over the world. 

This has been taken to the letter by the administration at the helm of the Barbados Ministry of Tourism, first with the organization of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which for the first time took place in Barbados, and other major events, such as the Crop Over, a summer festival held between July and August, or the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, from October 19 to 22, with the presence of great chefs and renowned cocktail makers. 

In addition to all this, Barbados boasts a great attraction for sports lovers, and in addition to being considered the "Motorsport Island", it hosts top-level competitions such as the Barbados Marathon, which will celebrate its 40th edition in December this year, or the WSL Barbados Surf Pro.