Barbadian teachers have a chance to broaden their horizons through a cultural exchange with Participate Learning and Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, United States of America.

The Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service (BECCS) and the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), in collaboration with the USA-based agency will  host an information session at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15, via Zoom.

Pre-registration for the session is required and persons may so do by clicking here.  

For additional information, interested teachers should visit the social media pages of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector – @molbarbados246 on Instagram and molbarbados on Facebook.  They may also contact BECCS at 826-1513, 832-0480, or 256-2290, or the BUT at 427-8510. (PR/GIS)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is reminding Barbadians that the United Kingdom (UK) Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme globally takes effect from tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Barbadian nationals will therefore be required to apply for the ETA online or via the UK ETA App. 

The Electronic Travel Authorisation is linked to the passport used in the application and is valid for multiple trips to the UK over a two-year period. If persons acquire a new passport, they will need to get a new ETA. The application fee is £10, and applicants will receive an email confirmation within three working days or sooner.

While an ETA grants individuals permission to travel to the UK, it does not grant them entry. So, they will still need to go through passport control at the border to enter the UK.

Everyone travelling or transiting the United Kingdom needs to get an ETA, including babies and children. Applications can be made for other people. However, refunds will not be granted after applications have been submitted.

To apply for the ETA and for further details, persons may visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta.

The UK ETA does not apply to countries whose nationals require a visa to enter the UK. In addition, it cannot be used for travel to the UK for the purpose of work, study, or residence.

The United Kingdom authorities have indicated that the ETA scheme will strengthen the UK’s border security and expedite safe travel for nationals of Barbados as they pass through the UK border. In addition, the ETA scheme will be used to facilitate increased automation as the UK works towards a contactless border. (PR/GIS)

BY CHAIRMAN JAVON GRIFFITH 

My fellow Barbadians, as we usher in the new year of 2025, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) wishes to extend absolute best wishes to the people of Barbados.

I extend heartfelt gratitude to all tourism stakeholders, particularly our esteemed tourism workers, for their unwavering support and commitment to our island’s tourism industry. 

The past year presented us with new and exciting business prospects. We are profoundly thankful, to the many valued investors for consistently believing in our country’s ability, to elevate Barbados’ status as a premier luxury Caribbean holiday destination.

In the eleven months of 2024 from January to November, Barbados welcomed to its shores a total of 617,228 stay-over arrivals, according to the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS). This is up 10% from the 559,701 stay-over arrivals, recorded for the same period in 2023. 

This growth has been primarily driven by the island’s resounding success, in significantly growing the United States market. For January to November 2024, this market has already accounted for 201,005 visitors compared to 157,023 visitors, for the exact same period in 2023. 

This 28% increase in North American visitors to our shores, is being positively felt in every corner of the tourism industry and across our membership. From the restaurants to the car rental firms, from the surf instructors to the taximen, from the villa management companies to the hotels and from the beach vendors to the merchants in Bridgetown. 

This is being driven by the return of American Airlines to Barbados from New York-JFK and Philadelphia, the return of Delta Airlines to Barbados from Atlanta and New York-JFK, the introduction of Frontier Airlines to Barbados from San Juan, the increases in United Airlines flights to Barbados from Newark-EWR, the increases in JetBlue flights to Barbados from Boston and the increases in American Airlines flights to Barbados from Charlotte.

2025 promises to be an exciting year on many fronts and I look forward to the many months ahead with a great sense of optimism. Barbados’ tourism industry is poised for more expansion as various tourism investments, including the InterContinental Hotels Group Hotel Indigo and the Blue Monkey Beach Club continue to take shape. Excitement is also building for Marriott’s long-awaited transformation as they introduce the world to the new Autograph Collection (Waves Hotel and Spa, Treasure Beach, Tamarind and The House), the Luxury Collection (Colony Club) and in February 2026 to the Tribute Portfolio (Crystal Cove and Turtle Beach). 

With both American Airlines and Delta Airlines collectively providing 10,000 new seats into Barbados per month in summer 2025, we are projected to have a great summer performance as an industry. 

The BHTA will continue to advocate on our members’ behalf, and we eagerly anticipate further collaboration with local, regional and international partners, to realise our strategic business objectives. The rebound of our industry could not have been possible without the extensive work done by our invaluable and key tourism partner, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI). I have high praises for our tourism partners, who have been integral to our successful navigation of these choppy post COVID-19 seas; and because of this united front, we are seeing encouraging signs that the sector is fully back on its feet.

It would be very remiss of me not to highlight the recent stellar performance of the Barbados Culinary Team at the 2024 edition of Taste of the Caribbean held in November in Miami, Florida. The team was led by the Management Team of Adrian Cumberbatch, Javon Cummins, Rohan Hackshaw and Damian Leach. The four competing members of the team were Rickeena Kirton – Pastry Chef, Dejuan Toppin – Junior Chef, Rynaldo Joseph – Senior Chef and Alexander Chandler – Mixologist. The team returned victorious as the Caribbean National Culinary Team of the Year 2024 and have made Barbados exceptionally proud.

The future of tourism in Barbados is looking bright, despite the challenges we have and continue to face because of external factors. As you have previously heard, our vision speaks to strategic initiatives and partnerships that will diversify our product, build human capital and expand linkages with other sectors, while targeting new markets, driving a more collaborative approach to our tourism sector, while still ensuring that the growing tourism industry benefits all Barbadians. The resetting of our tourism sector to build forward and stronger, can only be achieved by focusing on building strong local capacity with a relentless focus on quality and excellent customer service. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Secretariat of the BHTA, I wish all citizens of Barbados and our cherished visitors a healthy, happy and prosperous 2025!

Javon Griffith, BHTA Chairman