Barbados can capitalise on what appears to be a growing interest in Caribbean markets by Chinese visitors.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, said figures outlined in a recent United Nations report indicated that one out of every five tourists would come from China. ???Over the next five years there will be over 500 million Chinese looking to go outside.
These will be people who are looking for a destination, and Barbados should be one of those destinations,??? he said.
He was at the time speaking during a recent courtesy call with Chinese Ambassador Wang Ke, at the Ministry???s office.
During the discussion the Minister suggested that matters related to convenience and facilitation be given to Chinese visitors, as they represented a very large segment of the market.
Ms. Wang said Chinese people were also looking at retirement facilities in the Caribbean for their elderly citizens because the weather was favourable.
Bilateral relations between Barbados and China, and Barbados??? new cruise terminal were also discussed.
julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb