One of the goals that the Government of Barbados has set out for the tourism sector is to make this island attractive to visitors year-round.
This is according to Tourism Consultant and Public Relations Expert in the sector, Hugh Foster who spoke at a tourism development seminar recently at Sandals Barbados.
He said that from the early 1970’s onwards there was always an issue in the tourism industry where this island saw an increase in arrivals during the winter months, but a decrease in arrivals during the summer months and this is a scenario which still holds true today.
“In the 1973 to 1977 development plan, it was stated that a major problem that confronts the tourist industry is the serious nature of its’ operations demonstrated by its concentration of arrivals – 40 per cent in the winter season – mid-December to mid-April and the slackening of demand during the summer months – mid-April to mid-December – 60 per cent which generates adverse effects on income and employment. (There has been) not much change there (as) this still holds true (today).”
However, the Government of Barbados is working on seeing that they get visitors coming to this island throughout the year. In fact, the summer months are when the real action happens in Barbados regardless of what a tourist’s interest is and they are going to use this as a tool to attract more visitors to this island during these months, said Foster.
“Government however, is always working steadfastly to balance these realities and promote Barbados as a year-round desirable destination. Summer is the period when the niches example sports, meetings, incentives, conferences, events, festivals, weddings and honeymoons come to the fore to bolster traffic.”
The new hotel that is currently being constructed at what was once the Sam Lords Castle is another initiative aimed at generating summer traffic.
“The Wyndum Grand which is currently under construction at Sam Lords Castle is an international brand that generates summer business, a key reason (that the) Government has partnered with them.”
The next major period of growth in tourist arrivals in Barbados was in 1987 when we received our 400,000th visitor. Long stay arrivals rose by just over 14 per cent and cruise ship arrivals by 57.4 per cent in that year, he said.
“Returning to history, the next major leap in arrivals was in 1987 when we cracked the 400,000 arrivals ceiling. I was among the welcome party at the airport to fete the 400,000th long stay guest and share our thanks to them for choosing BIM. That year our long stay visitors rose by a large 14.1 per cent and cruise ship passengers were up a massive 57.4 per cent.”
It would then take a little more than one decade before Barbados experienced that kind of major arrivals again and this was in 2015 followed by 2016 when we had two really good years in terms of visitor arrivals.
“There was talk in those days of a cycle (of) three good years followed by two bad years. Barbados was in fruitful years then and so was the world economy. As our base numbers grew however, our increases moderated and it took another 12 years before we reached 500,000 arrivals in 1998 and until last year, 2016 before we achieved the 600,000 long stay arrivals threshold to 631,513 making 2015 and 2016 the biggest years ever in the history of the Barbados brand, two record years in a row.” (PJT)