Strong interest in winter travel to Barbados

Barbados appears to be a hot item with foreign travellers looking to escape the coming winter months.

And according to Roseanne Myers, the recently-appointed chair of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) and the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA), the island is experiencing “very strong demand” for the coming September to December period.

As millions of Americans, Britons, and other Europeans secure their COVID-19 vaccines and Barbados releases a set of enhanced COVID-19 protocols, operators in the local sector are quietly hopeful of a much safer return of mass tourism, than occurred last year.

In an exclusive interview, Myers told Barbados TODAY: “Because Barbados has handled COVID-19, in my view, very well, there is a comfort that once things settle down, Barbados will be the place to visit during the winter season.

“The United Kingdom operators are very eager and have reported that the bookings across all markets for September, October, November, and December look very strong, as well as for the first quarter of 2022.”

“Summer is going to be a little slower than we would want simply because we are guided by the protocols. We are not going to open the flood gates. The protocols for vaccinated travellers have been very well received and welcomed.

In addition to increased bookings, tourism officials are excited about the additional airlift into the island, including from AER Lingus from Ireland, and Lusitania departing Heathrow.

“As more people get vaccinated in the UK, these are the people who want to take off. [Vaccinated travellers do not] have a long quarantine anymore; you come in with your negative PCR test results, and you test once you reach your accommodation by the next morning. The tests turn around very quickly, and we are hoping through the lab, to have rapid testing, where we can get the result in four to eight hours. After that, visitors will be free to go,” Myers, the immediate past president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association explained.

She, however, stressed that arriving vaccinated visitors awaiting their COVID-19 test results will not face as many restrictions as unvaccinated travellers.

The BTMI and BTPA said vaccinated travellers will not be restricted to their hotel rooms or villas.

“You are not going to be locked in your rooms because you are fully vaccinated; you are wearing a special band and you can go to the designated pool.You can’t go on the beach, however.”

Myers said tourism officials were taking the advice of University of the West Indies health specialists, the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners, and the Ministry of Health on how they should proceed with the industry that employs thousands and is the main source of foreign exchange for the country.

Barbados has never fully closed its borders since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the region in March last year. However, Britain, a key source market has severely restricted leisure travel for citizens due to the spread of more infectious variants.

Myers said the island’s policymakers are eager too for word from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on protocols for his citizens returning to the UK after visiting the island.

“We believe strongly that we can get some business in the summer, probably more towards the end of June, as well as July and August, once we are able to get firm word from PM Boris Johnson on what he will allow in terms of international travel. And importantly, what those persons coming back to the UK from certain destinations will be required to do,” she explained.

Officials are also monitoring the impact of the United States heightened travel advisory regarding travel of Barbados. The US issued its highest travel warning – a Level 4 alert, urging Americans to stay away from Barbados due to a high risk of contracting COVID-19.

(IMC1)