Hotel sector encourages enforcement of protocols

The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is convinced that its members are not among the businesses responsible for breaches of COVID-19 protocols that have led to recent spikes in cases.

As arrivals from major source markets gradually increase, Chief Executive Officer of the BHTA, Senator Rudy Grant is calling for greater enforcement within communities to keep the situation under control.

He was responding to concerns from Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Kenneth George about apparent lapses on the part of some businesses, contributing to the current COVID surge.

Senator Grant, however, declared that with the exception of some small hiccups with quarantine wristbands, the sector has been managing the situation well.

“Certainly, we have not received any reports specifically in relation to our members and even without being told of anything so, we continually update and encourage our members,” Senator Grant told Barbados TODAY. “So there is a high level of satisfaction that the members are adhering to and instituting the protocols and ensuring that persons who are in their establishments adhere to those protocols.”

The BHTA CEO added: “I think it really has been said by the Chief Medical Officer that in terms of actual procedures that are being put in place, there is not a general dissatisfaction with that. It’s just a couple businesses that were of concern. Certainly, in relation to our members, we continually emphasize with them the importance of following the protocols and ensuring they are adhered to within the establishment as well as in relation to the operational aspects.

“Our discussions have been good. I think the protocols have been effective and what we have to do is ensure that the protocols are not only adhered to within businesses, but also within communities.”

The organisation’s chairman Geoffrey Roach however stressed that despite the positive trends among tourism stakeholders, visitors frequent and interact with numerous entities that are not directly related to the BHTA.

“While we talk tourism, tourism doesn’t happen in isolation, so visitors come to Barbados and yes, they stay at our properties, they’ll rent cars from car rental agencies, they will go to restaurants etcetera, but they’ll do a lot of things across the length and breadth of Barbados with operators and business people that are not members of our association,” Roach explained.

“So while we represent our members, we recognise that by and large, what happens in Barbados as far as COVID is concerned is going to impact the industry,” the chairman added. (KS)