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How did we (Barbados) do?
Barbados could have appeared in any one of eleven categories.
Which ones did we?
Best Bargains
Top 100 World
#33 – Peach and Quiet
Top 10 Caribbean and Mexico
#3 Peach and Quiet
#10 Southern Surf Beach Apartments
Top 100 World Best Luxury
#18 Little Arches Hotel
Top 10 Best Luxury – Caribbean and Mexico
#4 Little Arches Hotel
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We have been concerned for some time now that the local restaurants who cater primarily to the tourism sector have continued on the old strategy despite the fact that tourist arrivals are/will drop going forward.
What is so difficult for local hotels and restaurants to develop a strategy to target locals?
Barbadians from time to time celebrate anniversaries and other occasions when we are sure they can be enticed to visit a local hotel or restaurant at cool prices and not tourist prices. Instead we understand that our top restaurants and hotels continue to charge high rates with declining customers. Don’t make sense!
Adrian L can you explain this strategy by the local hospitality sector to not aggressively target locals?
David,
I think I can explain a little.
BUT please do not forget the
re-DISCOVER programme that has for SIX YEARS targeted locals both on Barbados and throughout the Caribbean.
Cardholders receive up to 50% discount on hotels, restaurants, car rental, attractions etc.
I did not want to turn this into an advert, but on April 24/25th we will host the sixth annual re-DISCOVER Show at the Sandiford Conference Centre and entrance is free.
Our problem has always been the funds to promote the initiative more.
We do get a small amount from the BTA and we have a few wonderful corporate sponsors who support with small amounts.
When we started the re-DISCOVER programme years ago in the first three months 1,592 Barbadian residents dined at a single restaurant, now sadly closed (Carambola). When asked WHY by the owner, the diners response was ‘you have made it more affordable’.
Its as simple as that!
David, this isn’t rocket science in general, a locals, we have 2-3 got to places that are affordable, reliable service, and consistent quality. Otherwise we couldn’t be bothered. The greedy restaurant owners that price their below average food at NYC/London/Tokyo prices will wake up eventually, but they won’t get our money.
& Mr. Loverage, if you want to promote the re-discover program how about some more specifics– how much does the card cost per year would be a good start and what are the restrictions? It’s time for Barbados to value it’s people and stop banking on tourism in these times– after all tourism is a relatively new development in the grand scheme of things, and now it seems that we rely on it far too heavily for our own good!
Please don’t be…………….. STRESSED OUT!
and click onto REWARDS card.
And perhaps you could suggest an alternative to tourism?
Sounds great, Adrian, but why isn’t Peach and Quiet participating?
@Stressed Out
We know that many of our top restaurants are running well below capacity at the moment and still show no inclination to reduce menu rates or for that matter develop a targeted advertising to local corporate for example to have businesses lunches at discounted rate. Why keep high prices which is a recipe for digging a deep hole?
David,
I totally agree with you. Some of our restaurants are trying with special price menus, but a lot more can be done, especially if heavily taxed imported food isn’t used.
Does anyone know of a furnished room, apartment, guest house or hotel for about BDS$1500 for 4 weeks on the south coast? I know a retired Bdian lady who wants to visit on Tues. 10 Feb. but can’t afford the regular winter rates. The guest houses are half empty. The hotels are more than half empty, but nobody wants to lower their prices. Isn’t something better than nothing at all?
Patial call 438 6816 and see if they have any vacancies.
@ David & Georgie Porgie
Thanks very much for responding and for the info.
I can’t believe what the woman gone and do. She and 6 more friends book flights to go to Cuba. It is costing them each CDN$628 which includes airfare, taxes, hotel and food for 7 days. She tells me that “everybody” in Toronto, Bajans and Canadians alike, are going to Cuba. They are saying that Bdos is way too expensive.
We better start putting on some specials in our hotels. Instead of the tourism people spending millions of dollars in advertising overseas telling people who cannot afford it to come to Bdos, including the overseas Bajans, they better start advertising telling them about some slashed airfares & hotel rates.
The writing is on the wall.
In any event, I will keep the phone #, GP, and bookmark the website, David, for future reference. I always have friends of friends who would like to visit. We just have to sort out some prices to suit these times.
By the way, you all know that a Piton beer that I understand made in St. Lucia cheaper than a Banks beer in most hotels? I almost fell off my barstool when some tourists I was with last night call for these Pitons and tell me they cost $5 instead of Banks @ $6. What going on at all though?
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