A leading hotelier in Barbados says things are beginning to look up for tourism in Barbados, and as stronger air capacity returns to the island, there is encouraging news out of the U.S. market. Patricia Affonso-Dass, Group General Manager of Ocean Hotels in Barbados, noted that it’s been a long work in progress trying to diversify markets, “and we’re actually seeing big growth out of the U.S. market.”
Speaking before the start of last week’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she said: “I think the pound (sterling), obviously it’s a concern because the weak pound is not a good thing for Barbados, but you’re starting to see some slight correction to that and I think over time hopefully it will move in the right direction. Meanwhile,” she continued, “I think we’ve been responsive in terms of working with our partners to make sure that we are staying ahead of what the customers want, making sure we’re providing an excellent experience and that the value customers receive when they come to Barbados is exceptional.”
Senator Lisa Cummins, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, recently reported that despite global airlift challenges, Barbados is forecast to return to at least 80 percent of 2019 visitation levels by the end of this year. Noteworthy for Barbados will be the opening of Wyndham Grand Barbados (former Sam Lord's Castle) this December.
This month, the island will celebrate the highly anticipated Barbados Food and Rum Festival, October 27-30, 2022.
