Airport set for ‘record-breaking’ weekend of arrivals

The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is anticipating that this weekend will mark the busiest period at the Grantley Adams International Airport for the winter season thus far.

While delivering a report at the association’s final quarterly general meeting held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Tuesday, Chairman Javon Griffith disclosed that Barbados will welcome more than 13 international flights from its source markets.

Notably, five of the 13 flights will originate from the New York area, underscoring the United States market’s growing significance to Barbadian tourism. The US has emerged as the main source market, remarkably overtaking the United Kingdom for the first time since 1994.

He said: “The industry has continued to achieve significant milestones, with impressive gains in visitor arrivals and overall industry growth. The island has recorded month-on-month growth every month this year, and this is expected to continue. This Saturday, we expect to have the single busiest day of the winter season at Grantley Adams International Airport. From the United States alone, we will welcome six American Airlines flights, three JetBlue Airways flights, one United Airlines flight, one Frontier Airlines flight, and two Delta Airlines flights, including their inaugural New York JFK to Bridgetown flight.

The aviation milestone accompanies impressive year-to-date performance figures. According to data from the Barbados Statistical Services, international arrivals have surged by 11 per cent between January and September, with 509 673 stay-over visitors compared to 451 491 in the same period last year.

American visitors have increased by 24 per cent, from 128 794 to 176 614 this year.

Other markets have also shown substantial growth. The Canadian market experienced a 14 per cent increase, rising from 54 258 to 63 228 stay-over visitors. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) market saw a six per cent growth, with arrivals increasing from 65 627 to 70 309.

“The industry has continued to achieve significant milestones, with impressive gains in visitor arrivals and overall industry growth,” Griffith said. He noted that the island has recorded month-on-month growth throughout the year, a trend expected to continue into the new year.