Recommend May2017 - 40

Celebrating 50 Years of Helping Travel Agents Sell Travel

Destination Barbados
"Barbados offers agents the
ability to create unique
experiences for their clients
in a safe and welcoming
environment. We value
the agent community and
offer amazing rewards and
incentives. And we take
good care of agents' clients,
who come as guests but
leave as friends."
- Petra Roach, Director, USA,
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.

"Barbados is the most British of the
Caribbean islands, with a mesmerizing
mixture of history, culture, prosperity,
beauty, and sophisticated island life,"
says Petra Roach, director, USA of
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
"Bajan pride echoes in every corner of
our nation, from the local fish markets
to the polo fields." Moreover, 2016
was the country's Golden Jubilee year,
ushering in a series of events that
accentuated that pride. "Independence

"Barbados has something for
every budget, but the island
has a very upscale feel. It
feels like home. You can
drive around, and you're not
separated from the culture
of the island. It's for clients
who are looking for a little bit
more out of their destination."
- Gai Spann, Travel Agent,
Spanning the Globe Tours

40 may 2017

40-41 BARBADOS 2PG.indd 40

anniversaries are extremely important
to mark and celebrate...our impact on
the international community," declares
Roach. "Anniversaries showcase how
far we've come."
In 2016, she says, "our tourism
industry made strides to increase visitor
numbers by strengthening partnerships
and promoting our country through
one of the most important languages for
cultural education, food!" New JetBlue
Airways nonstops from Boston, Fort
Lauderdale, and Newark contributed
to "a 14 percent increase in arrivals
over 2015, which had already had a
25 percent growth over 2014, further
proving that Barbados is a favored
destination among U.S. travelers."
Events such as the Crop Over Festival
and the recently rebranded Barbados
Food & Rum Festival, she notes,
"continue to highlight our position as
the culinary capital of the Caribbean,
draw visitors to our sunny shores, and
offer the authentic experiences today's
visitors are seeking."
The energy of Barbados' 50th is also
reflected in a spurt of development.
Highlights include the opening of

Waves Hotel & Spa by Elegant
Resorts, the upcoming debut of Sandals
Royal Barbados and Sands Barbados,
the 2018 opening of the five-star Sam
Lord's Castle Barbados: A Wyndham
Grand Resort, and, in 2019, a new
Hyatt in Bridgetown.
"Barbados offers agents the ability
to create unique experiences for
their clients in a safe and welcoming
environment," says Roach. "As many
travelers are now looking beyond the
usual sun, sea and sand, we are well
positioned to meet these needs by
offering experiences such as aquatic
adventures, polo lessons, heritage sites,
culinary travel, and a thrilling Driving
Experience in a Suzuki Swift or a
Radical SR3 at Bushy Park Barbados,
the Caribbean's premier motor sport
facility. We value the agent community
and offer amazing rewards and
incentives. And we take good care of
agents' clients, who come as guests but
leave as friends." ■

CONTACT INFORMATION

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
Tel: 1 (246) 467-3600
E-mail: btmiusa@visitbarbados.org
Website: visitbarbados.org
recommend.com

5/3/17 8:30 AM
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May2017
