Tourism

BHTA Praised For Its Role In Barbados’ Tourism Success

Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, has praised the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) for the role it continues to play in making Barbados a premier destination.

Mr. Gooding-Edghill commended the BHTA during its Gallagher-sponsored 2024 Tourism Awards Gala and Dinner at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle, last Saturday, held under the theme “Our Industry, Our Future, Together in Tourism”.

The Tourism Minister said the industry was rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic due to the efforts of the Ministry and the BHTA, and thanked the outgoing Chairman, Renée Coppin, for working with the Ministry.

“Let me first of all extend my deepest gratitude and a heartfelt thanks to you for your stewardship. We could not have built the industry we are in without of course the support of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association and certainly without your leadership,” Mr. Gooding-Edghill stated.

He also used the opportunity to thank all those involved in the sector. “It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that what truly sets Barbados apart is our people. Time and time again, visitors from around the globe tell us that the reason they keep coming back is because of the warm hospitality and genuine kindness of the people of Barbados….

“From the front-line staff who greet guests with a smile and go above and beyond to ensure their comfort and satisfaction, to the dedicated professionals behind the scenes who work tirelessly to promote our destination and enhance the visitor experience, each one of you is a true ambassador for Barbados,” Minister Gooding-Edghill said.

Ms. Coppin also praised those in the sector, and expressed appreciation for the support received during her tenure, stating: “Thank you for making this association the best private sector one on the island, bar none, and for making me as your champion, able to stand up and do things that needed to be done and say the things that needed to be said.”

The most notable award for the evening, the BHTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lady Yvonne Gollop of the Rostrevor Hotel. Upon accepting her award, she said: “I accept this award not for my own behalf but on behalf of my many family members who played a part, and a team of dedicated and loyal employees, many of whom are still with us and have made this all possible.”

The other winners of the night included Sandpiper Inn – Hotel of the Year Luxury Class; O2 Beach Club & Spa – Hotel of the Year “A” Class; and All Seasons Resort Europa – Hotel of the Year “B” Class and Apartments.

Chef of the Year was won by Rodney Corbin from the Sandpiper Inn; winning Mixologist of the Year was Kedane Wood from the Coral Reef Club; and the Employee of the Year Award went to Sheldon Davis of the Coral Reef Club.

Also taking home awards were Cocktail Kitchen for Business Excellence Restaurant Member of the Year; Atlantis Submarines Barbados for Business Excellence Tourism Attraction Member of the Year; the Social Responsibility Award went to Sandals Resorts Barbados, and Chukka Caribbean Adventures Barbados Ltd. won the Environmental and Sustainability Award.

Caption: Lady Yvonne Gollop (left) of the Rostrevor Hotel being presented with the BHTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award while the outgoing Chairman of BHTA Reneé Coppin (right) looks on.

Tourism

BARBADIAN REUBEN LEROY BROWNE NAMED GENERAL MANAGER AT WYNDHAM GRAND BARBADOS SAM LORDS CASTLE

Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle has appointed Barbadian Reuben Leroy Browne as General Manager of the all-inclusive luxury resort in St. Philip.

With over 30 years of experience in the tourism industry with major international brands across the Caribbean, Browne will be responsible for the hotel’s operations including enhancing guest experiences and revenue growth, while focusing on strategic planning, resource management and prioritizing environmental and social responsibility activities, among other tasks.

The new General Manager, who took up the post last month (October), said, “Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of getting to know our amazing team and exploring everything our beautiful resort has to offer. Our team is truly dedicated, and together we are committed to enhancing the guest experience as we approach the winter season.

“I’m proud to share that all of our resort’s food and beverage outlets are all operational, including the Mediterranean Restaurant for all-day dining, Sam Lords Grill, and our signature fine-dining venue, Castle View. Our Lucy’s Lounge, named in honor of Sam Lords’ wife, adds a unique touch to the resort, and we also have six well-appointed bars throughout the property to cater to our guests’ needs.”

He added that the spa, 24 hour gym and Kid’s Club are also functioning at full steam for both locals and visitors to utlise and said, “Our next steps will be to fill key vacancies starting with the Director of Sales and Marketing. We are also continuing our promotion of the property in key source markets at events such as World Travel Market in London, which our Revenue Manager attended earlier this month.”

Browne, who has a strong educational background from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and several management development programmes, most recently served as General Manager of an all-inclusive 294 suite property in Antigua.

Since starting his career in the industry in 1984, he has developed a successful track record in various leadership roles including Food and Beverage Manager, Operations Manager, Residence Manager, Director of Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at renowned hotels and resorts in Barbados and the region.

An active member in various professional associations including the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) and past member of the Downtown Nassau Partnership, he also dedicates his time to charitable endeavors including the Optimist Club. (PR)

Caption: Barbadian Reuben Leroy Browne has been appointed General Manager of the all-inclusive Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle.

Tourism

BHTA BARBADOS NATIONAL CULINARY TEAM OFF TO TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 2024

Members of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Barbados National Culinary Team left the island last Saturday to compete in the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Taste of the Caribbean, which takes place in Miami from November 18 to 20.

They are Chef Rynaldo Joseph, Junior Chef Dejuan Toppin, Pastry Chef Rickeena Kirton and Mixologist Alex Chandler, along with Team Manager Adrian Cumberbatch, Assistant Team Manager Javon Cummins and Coaches Damian Leach and Rohan Hackshaw.

Cumberbatch noted that the team is ready to put their best plates and beverages forward: “There has been a lot of preparation over the past few weeks to get everyone ready for the competition. Our focus was on strengthening a number of areas ranging from time management to concepts and flavor profiles. After weeks of hard work and dedication I can confidently say that the team members are all ready to showcase their talent and skills and to make Barbados proud.”

BHTA’s Special Projects Manager, Tessalee Moore, who is among a BHTA contingent, including Chairman Javon Griffith and CEO Ryan Forde, attending Taste to support the team, explained that the Association was more than happy to be facilitating the process to get team Barbados to the prestigious event.

Caption: Members of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Barbados National Culinary Team at the GAIA yesterday with BHTA CEO Ryan Forde (left) and Special Projects Manager Tessalee Moore (second from left) on the way to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Taste of the Caribbean in Miami.

“We are extremely happy that Taste is back and that Barbados can attend and defend our title as Caribbean Team of the Year. But beyond that, for the BHTA, Taste is more than a competition. It is also a major training and developmental tool for our chefs and mixologists as it provides educational opportunities by way of seminars, workshops and demonstrations on the trends and emerging concepts in Food and Beverage.

“While we would love Team Barbados to bring home gold and the bragging rights as Team of the Year again, we equally want the members to gain from this experience in a way that will propel their careers and for them to willingly share their knowledge with their peers when they return. This is their opportunity to showcase their skills on an international platform and we want them to take full advantage of that opportunity.” (PR)

Tourism

EXPLORA 11 DOCKS FOR THE FIRST TIME

The Explora II docked at the Port of Bridgetown for the first time yesterday, bringing 427 passengers to the island’s shore.

During a plaque exchange ceremony on board the vessel, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding- Edghill, thanked Captain Serena Melani for guiding what he described as a “magnificent” ship into the Port of Bridgetown.

“We certainly want to thank you and your team on board, and certainly the executives at MSC, for taking the opportunity to continue to have the confidence in Barbados as a home port,” he said.

Captain of the vessel, Serena Melani, who was the first woman in cruise industry history to captain a new ocean cruise ship launch in February 2020, said it was “nice to be back”, and that she was happy to bring another vessel to the Barbados. She previously brought the Explora I to the island during the 2023-2024 winter season.

*Minister of Tourism Ian Gooding Edghill & Captain Serena Melani*

The Explora Journeys’ Explora II transatlantic cruise itinerary, which began in Barcelona, Spain, will make six homeporting visits to Barbados during the 2024-2025 winter season.

The next port of call for the cruise vessel is Fort-de-France, Martinique.

In addition to the Explora II, the Port of Bridgetown also welcomed the MSC Magnifica for the first time. Britannia P&O and Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas also docked yesterday, bringing a total of 8,000 visitors to the island. (PR/GIS)