The competitive side of Barbadians was on display as hundreds came out and participated in the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc’s (BTMI) ‘Barbados Uh Come From’ Treasure Hunt. With over 800 participants taking part in the event that took place on April 18th, the treasure hunt was undoubtedly a success.
Chief Product Officer, BTMI, Marsha Alleyne explained that as the organisation continued to develop the national culture of excellence, the Treasure Hunt reintroduced the cultural and heritage assets and the unique selling points of the island in a fun and engaging format to stimulate experiential learning and instill national patrimony in the local population.
“Despite the many political, social, and economic achievements as a nation, attractions on the island are still regarded by the general population as “Tourist Attractions” and the perceptions held by many are that these places are ‘off-limits’.
The BUCF Campaign recognizes that “the first tourist is a Bajan” and Bajans, therefore, need to be afforded opportunities to visit, participate and experience the many attractions available on the island through engagements such as the treasure hunt,” Alleyne said.
Alleyne added that “by all accounts, the initiative achieved its objective, as many of the participants informed that the hunt exposed them to many parts of the island that they never knew existed.”
Inclusive tourism model
Speaking during yesterday’s awards ceremony, the CEO of the BTMI, Jens Thraenhart also considered the treasure hunt a success as it fell under the BTMI’s mandate to build out a more inclusive tourism model.
“The destination is more than sun, sea, and sand and the organisation is working assiduously to ensure that as we build out a more sustainable model, we are including and bringing attention to authentic Bajan businesses,” Thraenhart said.
Additionally, Chief Product Officer, Marsha Alleyne highlighted that “the campaign aimed to bring attention and support to the many tourism businesses that have been deeply impacted by the global pandemic.”
Incredible tourism bounty
Team Bounty Hunting Explorers, led by Mickel McCollin, won the coveted tourism bounty which included, an airline ticket on JetBlue, a Lifestyle Photoshoot, a Catamaran cruise for two, a driving adventure for four, golfing experience for two, and a staycation for two, breakfast included.
McCollin expressed that the Treasure Hunt was a wonderful experience and added that she and her team were eagerly looking forward to next year’s treasure hunt.
She believed that while the hunt in itself was fun, it was extremely informative as she was able to learn things she did not know previously about Barbados.
Coming in second place and still amassing a lot of prizes was Team 3A4, led by Tia Daniel and third place went to team Fish Cakes and Bakes, led by Sherese Mullin-Rock.
Locations visited
There were a whopping 165 teams with approximately five persons per team and competitors visited Golden Square Freedom Park, Codrington College, Local Vendors, Hackelton’s Cliff, Bridgetown and its environs, Glendairy Prison, National Bontanical Gardens and many more. Participants also had to answer a number of Bajan trivia. (BGIS)
