CARICOM Summit Boosts Barbados Tourism: Chief Officer
February 22, 2025
CARICOM summit boosts Barbados tourism with delegates staying at various properties across the country, enjoying local restaurants, and exploring the island's attractions and vendors. Collaboration ensures a positive visitor experience.
The three-day CARICOM summit has been benefiting Barbados’ tourism product, says Marsha Alleyne, chief product development officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
She said yesterday that while some delegates were staying at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle in St Philip where the conference was held, others utilised various properties throughout the country, including Airbnbs, the West Coast and South Coast.
“They’ve really made good use of the accommodation. In addition to that, I know that they have been utilising the restaurants all across the island in the evening after the caucuses and the plenaries to continue their business discussions.
“We have also ensured that they have seen aspects of the Barbadian product, and we are taking them to the north of the island this evening (yesterday) for the after-party, so they can also get a taste of Haymans (St Peter]. All of the vendors will be open for the entire evening,” she said, adding that would also give the visitors a chance to make purchases.
That would be in addition to the opportunities they had to buy from vendors stationed at the location – the first time that service providers were able to showcase artefacts and souvenirs
at such an event in Barbados.
“The tourism product is benefiting from us hosting this event and, of course, you also have the knock-on effect, because after people come to this island, they want to come back and bring their families and have a real vacation. So it’s an opportunity for us to showcase the best of who we are.
“We’re operating as one Government . . . bringing together the [Ministry of] Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc and other entities to ensure we showcase the very best of the best, and that we are able to give the kind of hospitality that we’re used to, to encourage persons to come back,” Alleyne said.
The 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, which started on Wednesday with an opening ceremony at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, concluded yesterday evening.
(AC)
