Billion-dollar tourism investment surge in 2026 — BHTA

One of its biggest tourism investment booms in decades is expected to pump more than $2 billion (US$1 billion) into the industry next year, with a wave of new hotel developments reshaping the island’s coastline, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) said Wednesday.

BHTA Chairman Javon Griffith told the fourth quarterly general meeting at Sandals Royal Barbados, that the island was entering a transformative period that would reshape its tourism landscape.

“Barbados is entering one of the most significant hotel development cycles that we have seen in decades,” he said. “Across the length and breadth of our island, major projects are taking shape … projects which will redefine our accommodation landscape and strengthen our competitiveness over the next three years.”

Griffith also outlined a series of large-scale developments due to come on stream from next year.

On the south coast, Hotel Indigo is preparing to open in mid-January 2026, marking the return of the InterContinental Hotels Group to Barbados. The chairman said the vibrant, lifestyle-driven brand “will add a level of diversity to our accommodation mix and bring renewed energy to an already bustling tourism corridor.”

The west coast is also seeing significant activity. Blue Diamond Resorts is advancing its adults-only, all-inclusive concept, Royalton Royalty Investments, described by Griffith as “the one and only,” with an opening date set for July 1. Featuring 222 suites and multiple restaurants and bars, it is expected to bolster Barbados’ position in the premium all-inclusive market.

Further north at Heywoods, construction is under way on the long-anticipated Beaches Barbados. The project will introduce roughly 600 new rooms, substantially boosting the island’s family all-inclusive capacity. Griffith described Beaches as “a transformative investment that will support year-round airlift, create substantial employment, and deepen our appeal to multi-generational travellers.”

In the capital, the long-delayed Hyatt Ziva Bridgetown project is finally moving forward, with plans for about 380 rooms and a mixed-use development.

“Hyatt will bring renewed vitality to Carlisle Bay and play a pivotal role in Bridgetown’s ongoing revitalisation,” Griffith said.

The BHTA chairman also reported sustained momentum at the ultra-luxury end of the market. The Pendry Barbados and the boutique Blue Monkey Hotel are among a cluster of high-end projects expected to open between 2026 and 2027.

“These developments reinforce Barbados’ growing reputation as a destination of choice for discerning global travellers,” he added.

International brands already operating on the island are also reinvesting. Marriott International is undertaking extensive refurbishments across its properties, with further reopenings scheduled through mid-2026. Griffith said the upgrades would ensure hotels “remain competitive and continue to deliver the quality that our visitors demand.”

Taken together, the BHTA estimates the projects represent well over US$1 billion — $2 billion — in new hotel and related real-estate development, the BHTA chairman told hoteliers.

“They will deliver hundreds of new rooms, thousands of jobs, and tremendous economic stimulus for our island,” Griffith said.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb