BHTA webinar to focus on local ownership in tourism

Increasing Local Ownership in Tourism – Is it Achievable? This will be the topic of discussion on Wednesday, October 13 when the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association hosts the second episode of its 2021 Webinar Series at 10 a.m.

Leading the conversation will be a panelist of industry experts including Hotelier Gordon Seale, Restaurateur Chiryl Newman, Destination Management company owner Nicolas Alleyne, Tourism Consultant Josea Browne and Financial Consultant Rohan Cumberbatch.

BHTA’s First-Vice Chairman, Renée Coppin, will be the moderator for the webinar, which forms part of the initiatives of the association’s Public Relations Committee, aimed at encouraging discussion on a wide range of topics and sensitizing the public on the tourism industry.

Chairman of the BHTA, Geoffrey Roach said, “Our first webinar last month saw a robust and important discussion on Covid-19 vaccines in the industry. This month we will be addressing the perception that tourism is only accessible to locals as workers, primarily in low skilled and entry level jobs. The webinar will address the misconception that tourism is predominantly a foreign owned sector with little opportunity for meaningful ownership by locals.

“We want to encourage Barbadians to join in this conversation which promises to be informative and enlightening as each panelist will present their perspective on the topic after which they will engage with participants during a Question and Answer segment.”

The webinar will be streamed live on the BHTA’s YouTube channel – BHTA-Barbados Travel Guide and the Facebook page –barbadostravelguide.