Barbados’ tourism is ‘more than a legacy’ and promises to retain its proven tourism offerings and partnerships while continuing to develop the local industry to ensure it remains competitive in the global landscape.
‘More than a legacy’ was the theme of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s (BTMI) travel partner reception held in London last Friday, just ahead of the 2022 World Travel Market (WTM) show. In the audience were top U.K. travel trade partners for the destination including airlines, tour operators, travel agents and media.
Led by Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, the reception presented a unique opportunity to thank the island’s long-standing travel partners for their unwavering support during challenging times and welcomed them to be a part of Barbados’ future as the destination continues to grow its tourism product offering.
Open for Business
Speaking on the return of Barbados’ tourism, Prime Minister Mottley said: “We are doing it now not just as we have done it before, but we are doing it now with the benefit of what sustained us through COVID and that was the Welcome Stamp. We are in a position now to not only say welcome to the Welcome Stamp but welcome to all of you again and in a meaningful way to do it better than we have ever done it before. We are happy to work with our partners to keep the traditional, but also create new opportunities as we go forward.”
The theme of the Barbados delegation approaching the World Travel Market November 7 to 10, ‘more than a legacy’, pays homage to the destination’s longstanding relationship with the U.K. and reaffirms Barbados’ commitment to ensuring an equally prosperous future through continued enhancement of the tourism product.
One of the new products highlighted included Sam Lord’s Castle by Wyndham, which will soon be opening on the island. The 450-room hotel will once again merge the island’s legacy with its rich future.
Resilient Partnerships
Stressing the importance of travel partners to Barbados’ success, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, addressed the captive audience, stating: “No destination can succeed without the support and contributions of its partners who ensure Barbados is accessible, top-of-mind, and occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of would-be travellers. Acknowledging this, the Government of Barbados is grateful for your continued confidence in the destination despite the tumultuous two-and-a-half years the industry has experienced.”
Minister Gooding-Edghill highlighted examples of the commitment of airline partners, noting that while faced with the impacts of the pandemic and economic uncertainty, Barbados was the first Caribbean destination that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic returned to as travel resumed.
Barbados at WTM London
The World Travel Market (WTM) is one of the world’s largest travel exhibitions and is a forum for travel industry professionals to connect, learn and do business.
Held every year in London, it provides Barbados with the opportunity to foster and maintain key relationships with travel and tourism partners, and to explore new opportunities for development of the industry.
The United Kingdom remains Barbados’ number one source market, producing the largest number of visitor arrivals through the Grantley Adams International Airport each year. Between January and September 2022, preliminary in-house figures report over 120,000 of the nearly 295,000 arrivals are from the U.K. Barbados has the highest repeat visitor factor in the region and is quickly returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The Barbados delegation includes the Minister of Tourism and International Trade, Ian Gooding-Edghill; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, Francine Blackman; Chair of the BTMI’s board, Shelly Williams; BTMI’s CEO, Dr. Jens Thraenhart; Chair of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Renee Coppin; and several key local tourism service providers from hotels to concierge businesses, and other direct tourism services.