Expressing concern about the potential impact of the plummeting value of the British pound on the tourism industry here, Roseanne Myers has suggested a campaign to encourage travellers to book in advance and take advantage of end-of-summer specials.
She said while several tourism players may be looking to discontinue discounted rates on products and services as the winter season approaches, there should be a campaign to get potential travellers to book accommodation and visits to attractions in advance.
Myers, who is General Manager of Atlantis Submarines, said such an initiative would also help small businesses.
Raising her concerns during the 35th Annual General Meeting of the Tourism Development Corporation, at the Radisson Aquatica, she said: “…. We have a scenario where you may be able to say how our winter season is looking occupancy-wise. But in terms of spend to the very businesses you are focusing on here, the value of the pound is going to be directly affecting the persons who come on island and are then looking to spend that money.
“Now most people come with US dollars, so from the time they go to travel and they go to change that pound to US to bring to Barbados they are going to immediately be recognising that their spending power has been reduced. So I am just wondering what is the strategic positioning of Barbados right now in the UK to address that specific issue.”
Early Monday, the exchange rate of the British Pound Sterling fell to US$1.03, a decline of about 22 per cent from six months prior. It later regained some ground to stand at US$1.08, following a signal by the UK government last Friday that it will pursue more aggressive tax cuts while it also attempts to subsidise energy costs for households and businesses.
Analysts have predicted that the weak pound could also push British vacationers to opt for domestic trips or travel to destinations where their currency remains relatively strong.
In response to Myers’ concerns and suggestions, Chief Executive Officer of the
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) Dr Jens Thraenhart explained that Barbados’ tourism market has an advantage over other countries in the region because mostly high-end travellers from the United Kingdom who have greater spending power visit the island during the winter season.
“It is a problem but not too much of a concern if you compare it to a UK consumer that is looking at more discounted hotels or all inclusives. So that’s why we are seeing that even with the airlift, the prices for flights are high, we still see that the demand is there. So it is a problem, but I think everyone has the same problem. So it’s not unique to Barbados,” he said.
“And I think that actually, Barbados has an advantage based on its positioning and the type of segment of consumers it attracts from the UK.”
However, Myers insisted that visitors who spent money on attractions were not from the high-end market.
“The people who go all the way to attractions are not west coast people, it’s your south coast guests who will be affected by the issues of spend. So your hotel rooms might be full and you may have your restaurants full on the west coast, but on the south coast those are the people that are basically the bread and butter for most,” she said.
“So if you look at what the cruise lines do, which is you put out your itineraries early and you try to get people to book tours early.”
Traenhart acknowledged that visitors staying on the west coast were sometimes not aware of the island’s offerings and said the BTMI was about to launch its winter campaign to advertise what Barbados has to offer. (AH)
