BARBADOS TOURISM BOUNCES BACK

Barbados recorded over 10,000 air passenger arrivals in July, after months of being hard-hit by the Covid pandemic. 

For the first time since December 2020, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. says the local tourism industry recorded 10,819 international travellers to the Island in July. This corresponds to a growth of 166% or the equivalent of 6,745 additional visitors compared to July 2020.

The United States came out on top as a source market, as they took a 43.3% market share, while the UK contributed 34.4% of business with 3,722 arrivals for the reporting period. The strong growth from the UK happened after the Kingdom decided to add Barbados to the UK COVID-19 Green watch-list. Barbados has been fortunate to be placed on this list for the second time since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic.

For the same period, Caribbean arrival figures stood at 1,391 while Canadian travellers topped 390 arrivals.  This  represented an increase in arrivals from both markets year-on-year.

Interim CEO of BTMI, Craig Hinds, describes the achievement as a step in the right direction after the tireless efforts, on and off scene, to re-build the tourism product. He stated that “Barbados has, and continues to weather this Covid-19 storm, but while this period has been difficult for the industry, the BTMI is so pleased to see the recent sprouts of positive growth. This growth is a direct result of the excellent sales and marketing efforts in our overseas markets through campaigns like our ‘Sweet Summer Savings’ promotion, as well as maintaining strong partnerships with our airline, cruise and tourism partners.”

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) suggests a positive turn for the industry ahead of the 2021/2022 winter season.