Friday, December 13, 2024
spot_img
spot_img
HomeOpinionCommentaryTourism Matters: Our tourism offerings

Tourism Matters: Our tourism offerings

By Adrian Loveridge

During the 30 plus years my wife and I have lived on Barbados we have tried to take at least a couple of short breaks within the region or locally each year. Having chaired and /or sat on various tourism committees over those three decades and being a frequent commentator on the sector, I have always felt obliged to know as much about our tourism offerings as possible.

And frankly, despite our combined work experience, neither of us has ever had any illusions that we cannot learn from others in the business and during that process, improve our own product.

Sadly, taxation imposed by consecutive governments has now made flying within the Caribbean almost inhibitive, except for those with deep pockets, or having their travel paid for by companies or the state via the taxpayer.

As someone who has championed intra-regional travel for nearly 40 years, even before our re-DISCOVER initiative was launched, shortly after the tragic events of 911, it is soul destroying, knowing that as a direct result on ‘sky high’ airfares it has dramatically and negatively impacted average hotel room occupancy, especially in the softer summer months.

The current policy thinking appears to build more and more hotels up to 15 floors high, when we cannot even finish the ones that have been started, and now lay idle. The quoted $84 million said to have been ploughed into Sam Lords Castle and the promised five diamond 450 room Wyndham Grand Resort, is just one glaring example.

Imagine, just for a moment if that figure of $84 million is vaguely creditable, what could have been achieved, if spent creatively and cost-effectively marketing Barbados and filling the thousands of empty rooms we have across the island currently.

Of course, if our politicians were spending their own monies, very few of these gross errors of ‘judgment’ would occur, but while a relentless pouring tap of taxpayer’s monies are easily available, the status quo seems unavoidable.

We do not have to travel far to see proof of this theory. After that infamous statement ‘If we had to be perfectly honest, Saint Lucia is at least 30 years behind Barbados, in terms of tourism. That’s the reality publicly uttered by someone who should have known the truth.

Yet, in 2017, according to Statista (the recognized expert statistics portal), revenue generated by that country’s hospitality sector reached US$801 million.

Putting that in perspective, Saint Lucia, with less rooms and airlift, generated within one fifth of the total recorded by Barbados (US$1.08 billion) for the same year.

My hope is that either The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) or an independent and authoritative body will commission a study to evaluate what a ten percent increase annually in average room occupancy would produce in terms of profitably and overall revenue collection for both the private and public (taxation) sector.

spot_img
RELATED ARTICLES

2 COMMENTS

  1. Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website.
    It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult
    to get that “perfect balance” between superb visability
    and visual appeal.

    I must say you’ve done a fantastic job
    with this. Also, the blog loads extremely fast for
    me on Opera. Superb Blog!

    I seriously love your blog.. Pleasant colors & theme.
    Did you create this amazing site yourself? Please
    reply back as I’m planning to create my very
    own blog and would like to find out where you got this from
    or exactly what the theme is named. Thanks!

    It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy.
    I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest a few interesting things or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it! http://linux.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

spot_img
spot_img
spot_img

Caribbean News

TD Bank insider arrested and charged with facilitating money laundering

  WASHINGTON, USA - A former Florida-based employee of TD Bank N.A. was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Tuesday for facilitating money...

Global News

Threats vs reality: What awaits the Canadian economy in 2025

MONTREAL, Canada –  As we look ahead to 2025, Canadian entrepreneurs face a varied economic landscape. Despite potential headwinds, there are many reasons for cautious...