Tourism Minister defends Bajan hospitality but says training must continue

Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill has defended what he says is the country’s longstanding reputation for warm and welcoming hospitality following a recent exit survey that highlighted concerns about customer service in the tourism sector.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of Connect Barbados 2025 at Sam Lord’s Castle on Tuesday, the minister acknowledged the findings of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. survey, which reportedly identified gaps in customer service experienced by some departing visitors.

While not dismissing the concerns raised, Gooding-Edghill stressed that continuous training remains a core part of the government’s strategy to improve service delivery across the tourism industry.

“The government has a national transformation programme where there are a number of training courses offered online,” he said. 

“I’m also aware that the hotel sector, through the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association and individual hotels, invest heavily in training.”

The tourism minister noted that service training should not only apply to new employees entering the industry but also include opportunities for ongoing upskilling of existing staff.

“Training has to be ongoing, not just for a new product but as an opportunity for workers to continue their re-engagement training,” he added.

However, Gooding-Edghill maintained that international partners in the travel trade continue to commend Barbadian hospitality, which he described as a defining pillar of the national tourism brand.

“Whenever I speak to the travel trade, they always commend Barbadians for their warmth and hospitality. One significant feature of the Barbados brand is our people. We have not seen any exposed cracks within that strategy,” he said.

Still, the minister acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in maintaining high standards of service as the island’s tourism product continues to evolve.

“We have to continue to train and to retrain,” he said. 

“And once we continue to train and to retrain workers at all levels within the industry, I’m confident that the Barbados brand will continue to grow.” (SM)