‘Reasonable’ summer build

As if the temporary slump in cruise ship arrivals over the summer months was not bad enough, hotel occupancy levels are once again projected to be well below normal.

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) Rudy Grant said the projections, which have risen from around 30 per cent occupancy to the 40s in recent weeks, was “reasonable” based on market trends throughout the region.

But he said, specific classes of properties were performing better than others and the country’s stringent COVID-19 protocols continue to deter some visitors.

“We are expecting a reasonable summer at this stage. We are optimistic that that is what will occur,” Grant told reporters at the UWI Cave Hill School of Business and Management.

“The expectation is that occupancy will go beyond the 40s, but while I say that, the recognition has to be that that is on average, as opposed to what some individual hotels will be obtaining. So you do have hotels that are performing above the average and there are those that are performing below,” the BHTA CEO noted.

He was attending a donation ceremony for a book authored by Professor Emeritus Sir Henry Fraser and Dr Kerry Hall entitled Island in the Sun: The story of tourism in Barbados.

According to Grant, the numbers for summer 2022 are “significantly better” than those recorded over the same period last year, but they are still well below the over 60 per cent occupancy levels experienced in 2019.

Grant said while luxury properties and ‘A’ class hotels were continuing to hold their own, the ‘B’ class properties have been struggling tremendously as some visitors opt for villas instead of traditional accommodation.

Making matters worse, Grant said, are steady increases in the cost of imported supplies due to the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As it relates to COVID protocols that include an outdoor mask mandate and mandatory vaccine/testing for hassle-free entry into the island, Grant said discussions between BHTA officials and public health personnel are ongoing.

“What our tour operator partners tell us is that Barbados still continues to be the number 1 selling destination. There are those that prefer to go to destinations where there is a higher level of relaxation [of protocols], but we do have to recognize that the competent authority is the Ministry of Health,” said Grant.

“We are in an environment where we are in a spike and of course we have to be conscious of that and we have to ensure that while we advocate to have the environment which is reflecting what our visitors may wish to see, we also have to ensure that things are done in such a manner that the safety and security and the health of locals and visitors are not compromised,” he added. 

The BHTA executive said the return of Crop Over, along with numerous hotel and other staycation packages, are key developments for stakeholders ahead of the winter season, when occupancies are expected to climb above 70 per cent. (KS)