Tourism

TOURISM DAY MESSAGE 2023

Investing in People, Planet and Prosperity

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has asked that observance of international tourism day this year “highlight the vital need to deliver investment for projects that work for People (by investing in education and skills), Planet (by investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation) and Prosperity (by investing in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship).” Ultimately the theme is linked to supporting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) with the bigger goal of transforming the world.

If there is an industry that can have a transformational impact, tourism is it! Even after being dealt a body blow by COVID tourism has proven its resilience and in 2023, according to the UNWTO, is back to 80 percent of pre pandemic levels and is still employing one in every ten people globally. Part of the reason for this is the labour-intensive nature of the industry. UNWTO estimates that “one job in the core tourism industry creates about one and a half additional (indirect) jobs in the tourism related economy.”

Given the global significance of tourism, if ever there was a time for such a transformation, it is now. The world is at a different level of consciousness and therefore tourism must also make a transition. This year’s world tourism day theme reflects the global shift towards acknowledging our shared fate as citizens of this earth and the need for us to seek a balance of the parts that make the whole. Only if we take care of our people and our planet can we truly achieve prosperity.

People have always been at the forefront of Barbados’ development as a premiere tourism destination. Those of us who recall The Visitor magazine will remember interviews asking visitors what they love about the island. The leading answer would always be “the people”. That has remained unchanged over all the years. Bajans remain that “je ne sais quoi”, the secret ingredient in our tourism success. Many other islands have similar components including beautiful beaches, rich heritage and colourful culture. No other place on earth can boast the wit, warmth, civility and hospitality of Barbadians. These are characteristics well worth safeguarding as they contribute not just to our tourism product but to the quality of life on this island.

This means that we must continue to invest in our people in meaningful and tangible ways. The natural fit of our island to this industry has been based on some very subtle ways in which we live. Our sense of community, which lends itself to looking out for others, has led to our reputation for being kind. Our courtesy and congenial ways of interacting with each other has led to our reputation for being friendly. Underpinning all of this is our social and educational systems which combine to create a populace with both traditional and emotional intelligence plus a value system that supports the collective goal of making tourism our business.

The tangible investment in our people will require continued attention to the fundamentals. Ensuring that our citizens continue to have access to high quality education from primary right through to tertiary levels. Barbados is one of the top ranked islands in the Caribbean in terms of expected years of schooling. It is also one of the most highly rated countries in the region in relation to the human development index. So, while economic markers are important, it is Barbados’s attention to the education and health of its people that have led to the island’s success. It is too, the significance we attach to socialization, the village raising our children and maintaining strong values.

These things will allow us to see both economic and social prosperity for our people. At this juncture the tourism industry must continue to provide them with training to match the opportunities that exist for them to have meaningful and rewarding work. That work must include good working conditions and fair pay. It must provide an enabling environment for persons to carry out their task competently in a setting that provides autonomy and allows them to connect to the guests and colleagues. Ensuring that they feel like they can benefit from the many opportunities that tourism has to offer.

There is an unfortunate and widely held perception that tourism only offers entry level opportunities. Tourism employment runs the full gamut and gives anyone, from the most fledgling to the most expert, a range of professional opportunities for growth and personal development. Beyond employment there is also the chance to develop businesses; the expanded markets provided in a tourism economy are meaningful for those who wish to innovate and be entrepreneurial. The numbers of persons entering the sharing economy to provide accommodation bears evidence of this, as do the number of restaurants, taxi drivers and tour companies and other individually owned enterprises operating in the tourism space.

Investment in the planet follows logically from this. Given the position that Tourism holds in Barbados as our leading driver of private sector employment, number one source of foreign exchange earnings and principal contributor to GDP, how we build out this industry must be done responsibly and sustainably. The concern about our dependence on Tourism is valid however, it remains for the foreseeable future the best fit for our resources. We must not allow a lack of vision and innovation to limit the growth of this industry.

The question then becomes how do we build wealth for Barbadians and increase equity through the industry? The clear way is to create a facilitating environment where local participation in the tourism economy can thrive. There are already mechanisms in place to support this. The onus is on us to activate these tools, safeguard our resources and to marshal them to provide the best possible return to this island and its people.

There is a growing demand for sustainable tourism that has converged with a growing awareness around issues of the environment, social justice and equity. This combined with social media activism has placed increased pressure on governments, businesses, and individuals to be ever mindful of the impact of their actions. Barbados is attuned to this shift and poised to take advantage of this burgeoning awareness. From our leader, Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who is one of the most powerful global voices on climate change and the need to save our planet, to our recent awards as a sustainable travel destination.

We are charting a path to achieving the SDGs. The opportunities lie not only in turning a new generation of travelers onto the many ways in which we practice sustainable tourism but to the very authentic experiences they will have when they visit this island. The opportunities also lie in creating new business models to encourage more participation by locals in the tourism economy, to incentivize the many locals who have already made investments to continue to do so and to maintain a balanced portfolio of tourism investors.

In the 1960s when Barbados deliberately shifted its focus from sugar to tourism many argued it was simply trading one mono-crop for another. That argument only has merit if we continue practices which support extractive and exploitative development of the industry. There must be a commitment, both in policy and in practice, to ensuring that the greatest rewards of tourism remain here and can be used for the development of this island. Much of Barbados’ tourism product remains indigenously owned and operated. The greatest incentives therefore must be provided to ensure that remains the case. Stimulating local investment in sustainable, green projects has to remain a priority. It is only then that the true multiplier effect where every tourist dollar spent on this island touches sectors from retail to manufacturing and agriculture.

This year 2023 will mark the first full year of normalcy. Tourism continues to recover and this Tourism Day calls on us to reflect on its significance to our development as a country and how we can continue to use Tourism as a platform to be true craftsmen of our fate.

Happy World Tourism Day!

BHTA Chairman

Renée Coppin

Tourism

BARBADOS – A BEACON OF CARIBBEAN CULINARY EXCELLENCE

Barbados receives nominations for the 2024 World Culinary Awards

Barbados has been nominated in several categories of the prestigious World Culinary Awards, solidifying the island’s status as the premier culinary destination in the Caribbean. Now in its 5^th year, the World Culinary Awards is a global initiative which recognizes and rewards excellence in the culinary industry through its annual awards programme.

For 2024, The Barbados Food and Rum Festival has once again been nominated in the category of the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival; an accolade which the festival previously copped during the 2023 awards. Additionally, the city of Bridgetown received a nomination for the Caribbean’s Best Emerging Culinary City Destination, while the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute of the Barbados Community College has been nominated as the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Training Institution.

Andrea Franklin, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) expressed her delight regarding the nominations. “We at BTMI are beyond pleased that destination Barbados has yet again been considered by the World Culinary Awards.” Speaking specifically on the Barbados Food and Rum Festival she continued, “On the heels of winning the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival in 2023, this year’s nomination is apt recognition for the concerted efforts BTMI continues to make in marketing Barbados’ rich culinary heritage and its vibrant food scene, through what has become one of the most sought-after festivals. This nomination is also a fitting mark of appreciation to all our sponsors, partnering food establishments, culinary professionals, chefs, mixologists and other entities who work with us to make the Barbados Food and Rum Festival the ultimate dream weekend for food enthusiasts from around the world.”

Aprille Thomas, Director of Public Relations and Communications at BTMI with responsibility as Director of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival commented, “This consecutive nomination for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival is testament to the calibre of this most exciting epicurean experience on Barbados’ calendar of events and reflects BTMI’s commitment to culinary excellence as a hallmark of our island’s tourism product. We are eagerly looking forward to having another successful season when this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival is hosted during October 24^th to 27^th.”

She further noted, “I am also thrilled at the nomination garnered by the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute, especially as BTMI is partnering with them to facilitate the training component of this year’s Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition.”

Under the theme of “Feed the Future” the Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition is one of the highlights of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival. The competition seeks to empower the next generation of Barbados’ culinary talent by way of creating developmental and training opportunities for young aspiring chefs as they compete against each other for the title of Junior Chef Champion.

The 2024 edition of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival will also feature signature events including Liquid Gold Feast, Rise & Rum Breakfast Party, Rum Route, Chef Classics, Oistins Under the Stars, Culture of Cuisine Talks and the newly added Bajan Fair which will offer a host of family-friendly activities. The ever-popular community pop-ups will also be held during the festival.

For more information on all of the activities of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, interested parties are invited to follow on Instagram (@foodandrumbarbados) and Facebook (Barbados Food and Rum Festival).

The 2024 World Culinary Awards winners will be determined through a voting process. Voting is currently open and will close on August 30^th, 2024. During the voting window, industry professionals, the media and general public are all invited to vote by visiting https://worldculinaryawards.com/nominees/2024/caribbean (PR)

Tourism

BHTA PROMOTES TWO TEAM MEMBERS

THE Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) has promoted two of its team members. They are Tessalee Moore and Rhea Walker who recently assumed the positions of Special Projects Manager and Member Relations Marketing Officer, respectively.

Moore, who started with the BHTA in 2019 as an intern while pursuing studies in Tourism Management (Special) at the University of the West Indies, Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management (CHTM) in the Bahamas, is now responsible for the effective assessment, development and implementation of special projects created by the BHTA, among other duties.

Excited about her new role she said, “My journey with the BHTA has been a true testament to my passion for tourism. I am privileged to progress to this role. This promotion not only signifies career growth but also validates my dedication to advancing destination Barbados through the Association, a responsibility I hold in the highest regard. As a young leader, I am driven by the belief that success transcends age, focusing instead on resilience, capability and unwavering determination.”

Moore, who was also recently selected to serve on the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Young Leaders Forum class 2024-2026, explained that she is committed to fostering valuable partnerships in her new role at the BHTA, while leading innovative projects, and achieving remarkable results with her dedicated team.

Walker, who has served as the Association’s Administrative Assistant/Receptionist for the past six years is also honoured by her promotion, “My time with the BHTA has been rewarding and has moulded my professional path, while instilling excitement for future endeavours. I appreciate the exposure to the various aspects of the tourism industry provided through working with the Association.

“From advocacy to stakeholder engagement, working with the BHTA has broadened my scope and has given me a world of experience which has contributed to my professional as well as personal growth. I recognise this as an opportunity to make a real impact and drive innovation within the organisation and the industry as a whole. With the commitment to enhancing our membership experience and advocating for industry interests, I am eager to use my skills and vision to propel the BHTA to even greater success. I welcome the new challenge.”

In her new capacity, Walker will be responsible for overseeing various BHTA initiatives aimed at enhancing the membership experience and fostering organisational growth including crafting strategic membership development programmes and networking opportunities,

CEO of the BHTA Ryan Forde congratulated Moore and Walker on their promotions and stated, “Tessalee and Rhea have been instrumental in the development of the BHTA Secretariat in more ways than one and their promotions are well justified. Many of our members and board have worked with them and have only had positive words to say.

“Tessalee led the BHTA’s project management of the just concluded 2023 CHTA Marketplace 41 hosted in Barbados and that was a huge undertaking as the island welcomed 800 plus industry partners and media to the destination and the behind the scenes work with our partner tourism agencies and members was key to the success.

“Meanwhile, Rhea would have led the execution of the marketing campaigns for all of our recent tradeshows and worked in numerous advocacy capacities on behalf of the membership. Both would have excelled in their roles and beyond in many more areas, so for the Board and I it was an easy selection process to promote two young, bright and goal driven individuals.”

Forde added that the BHTA aims at keeping young people active in the industry through opportunities for training and development, “We are not the everyday Secretariat. We wish to be leaders in the direction of our industry’s development and one main area is through our people. As such, I am very excited to have them and others lead our team.” (PR)

Tourism

STRENGTHENING HUMAN CAPITAL IN COMMUNITY TOURISM

-certificate ceremony for Tour Guide Training Graduates-

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) proudly announced the completion of its Community Tourism and Tour Guide Training courses, aimed at enhancing service quality and tourism awareness.

A brief ceremony was held recently to present Certificates of Achievement to the participants who have successfully completed these rigorous training sessions. The primary objective of these training sessions is to fortify human capital by equipping participants with essential skills in service quality and tourism awareness. The Tour Guide Training initiative, in particular, is designed to develop a proficient cadre of tour guides who can effectively support the BTMI and other stakeholders whenever needed.

“At the BTMI, we understand that the reason our visitors keep returning to our shores is because of the warmth and hospitality of our Barbadians. We are thrilled to see such a passionate and dedicated group of individuals complete the Tour Guide Training program. Their commitment to excellence in service quality and tourism awareness is inspiring, and we are confident that they will significantly enhance the tourism experience in Barbados. Our ongoing efforts to develop skilled tour guides are vital to preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage, and we look forward to the positive impact these graduates will make,” said Marsha Alleyne, Chief Product Development Officer, BTMI.

Conducted in collaboration with the Department of History at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill and facilitated by Dr. Henderson Carter, the Tour Guiding program spanned two cohorts from September to October 2023. This program attracted a diverse group of participants, including individuals from Worrells Tour Guiding Company, The Archives Department, The St. Andrew Independence Committee, Codrington College, Culture Tours, The Moravian Church, UWI, and various independent participants. Out of the 40 registered attendees, 23 participants will be present to receive their certificates at the ceremony.

The comprehensive training emphasized the importance of knowledgeable and passionate tour guides who can effectively communicate the rich historical, anecdotal, and geographical narratives of Barbados. While historical expertise is not a prerequisite, a fervent interest in tour guiding and storytelling is essential.

The intensive 6-day course covered a wide range of crucial topics, including; Communication skills; Conducting guided tours on a bus; Presenting information in a chronological order; effective body language; and First Aid training.

The BTMI is committed to continuous improvement and is pleased to announce that the next cohort for the Tour Guide Training program is scheduled for August 2024. (PR/BTMI)