I don’t know anything about tourism but ads aren’t the only avenue of promotion. See the article of Sep.15 by the Star’s Theatre critic. One cardinal error that is continually made by Canucks he refers to Barbados as “The Barbados”

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/article/1257355–over-the-rainbow-andrew-lloyd-webber-chooses-shortlist-for-wizard-of-oz-reality-show

@Miller
It is only “The Barbados” or “Los Barbados” if you are Portugese, show me a map with “The Barbados”

@ Sargeant | September 20, 2012 at 7:08 PM |

The name ‘Barbados’ is of Portuguese origin. The name given to the island by the first European settlers the Portuguese slave traders despite what the fudged History books tell you.
Los Barbados was a stop over point possibly for taking on fresh spring water and other victuals on the trade route between the Iberian Peninsula West Africa and Brasil (colonized by Cabral and his disease ridden Portuguese henchmen more than 100 years before the English bought Los Barbados).

Barbadoes became anglicized as part of a deal between some English privateers (venture capitalists of the day) and the Portuguese Jewish merchantile/ship-owner class.
Show me a map of ‘Ichirouganaim’ the Garden of Eden and I will show you one of Los Barbados. Ask Ligon if you doubt me.

Over the years I have seen countless articles promoting travel to Barbados in the Travel section of the Star, there are also periodic articles on other islands in the Caribbean. Today Antigua was the feature, I think that it was St.Lucia’s turn last week next time it may be Jamaica, Turks & Caicos etc.
I am no apologist for the BTA but it would cost a fortune in advertising for ads promoting Barbados every week. Sandals is a Public Company which buys advertising space promoting its properties (Sandals/Beaches) in various islands, how should the Head of the BTA roll for that? Sandals also has an office or representatives in Toronto (as it has in Europe and South America). Recently I was driving in Markham (a town north f Toronto) and saw a vehicle bedecked with Sandals advertising, obviously the Company has a promotional presence in Toronto.

If the blog contrasted the activity of one Island’s Tourist Board against another’s then it may have some credence but a review of advertising in newspapers over a two month period says nothing.

BTW isn’t the summer months the “off season” for tourism in Barbados?

@ old onion bags | September 20, 2012 at 7:18 PM |

Similar assurances were also given in the 1991/92 economic meltdown.
Bajans were told that there was no forex shortage.
Any time a lying politician keeps saying everything is fine but things are collapsing all around you know what to expect.
Even the Guv, Mr. Physical Deficit, Darcy B and Kelly have gone quiet leaving poor buffoon Mr. Unclear to sink or swim. Not even Dr. David would come to his rescue as required under the Hippocratic oath; even if not under the politicians’ “hypocritic” oath.

It helps if the BTA is comprised of officials who bring heavy experience from a track record of working in the industry. When we compare the Jamaica Board of Tourism and ours this is where we are lagging.

Onions gun have a ball with this thread … oh dear …!

When you get to be my age you does try to do tings ergonomically. Dat does translate into tekking a seat in de back of de church even road as one uh de elders in de flock you got one uh dem seats de pastor reserve fuh de saved. Is a good ting he ain’t see what I blog for miss alabaster skin earlier dis week cause I wudda get read out as a backslider.

So dis ergonomics Mek me wonder why it is, in dis day and age of VOIP, Skype and all dese pretty tablet tings – one uh my granddaughters sen me a iPad and de udder one sen me a galaxy en I. I’d talk to dem like ef duh right in front me.

Which. Ring me back to my question why Richard Starey (causing he always staring into de corners uh de room when he talking to people like if he shame dat he face get so big and puff out) always want to get pun a plane to give de marketing staff in de tourism offices overseas when all dat he and de udder clowns at de MOT only got tuh get my granddaughters sen he a tablet (different to de percolan dat he and de udder frequent flier ministers seem to be using)

Why dem flying bout so much for doah? Won’t it Mek sense to get dem IT guru Ronald Jones to gi’ dem sum uh he edutech computers to teleconference wid de marketing staff overseas? Evey ting dat happen or gine happen ovah seas he wanna be dey! To gi’ he personal touch to tings Doan leg me go dere , dese practices of flying all ovah de place like if ponka go dem he song to enact, has to stop. I feel dat every officah at dat ministry in paticulah should have a travel. Udget like an insurance salesman. You get $1000 to travel to St Lucia to promote BIM. IF after you gone down dey and spen dat money and there is no income generated by your marketing trip den you grounded!!!

De same ting for de BIDC I gin’ you $40M a year if you can’t generate $40m at least in jobs and services den I cut back your budget. Dis how I would balance my budgets. Sealy’s total travel budget itemized by city duration food and board costs even de money spent pun *** should a document of public record so we can get some econometrics on how much waste money he and he ingrunt PS spen galivanting all ovah de place. This is what accountability and transparency is about not dem fancy words dat de late David plaster all ovah de pathways to progress. If it get rewrite by Richard it would get call “airways to Distress”

Where is the Butch Stewart of Barbados? Plenty know it all hoteliers in Barbados where is one who can go out there and be a Butch Stewart?

Jamaican private sector maguffy Butch is driving all the business in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antgua wherever he operates.

He does not work for any Tourist Board he does not run any government agency, he’s not depending on any government. Alfoso Dass and her crowd always lambasting the government . They should cut the crap of demanding more and more taxpayer funds and be like private sector go getter Butch. If Dass and them so bright they must get up off their fat racist asses and do like Butch Stewart . Stop blaming govrnment Butch Stewart dont blame governments.

There are a lot of Indians,Pakistanis and Sri Lankans living in major cities like Toronto.

A lot of them have disposable income to travel. They have one major thing in common with Bajans.
Cricket.

hello BTA Sports tourism maguffee.

“There are a lot of Indians,Pakistanis and Sri Lankans living in major cities like Toronto.”

Hant one problem……They look like Guyanese and remember the locals don’t like that look.

Hants the problem is that locals feel only white people can be Tourist and that white people’s money has more value, and that white people is God’s children. This has been ingrained in them for the past three hundred years.

David when a PM condones Leroy Trotman’s “Egyptian Jew” description of a large International retail with shops all over the Caribbean there will be some fallout. We have shown the world our innards on how we feel.

@ islandgal246 | September 21, 2012 at 6:57 AM |

A major brainwashing job done through religion on a naive people.

When black Bajans see white people especially from overseas they are programmed to see the holy family of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus with all the wise men and disciples being white.

At one time Afro-Americans, especially those with some financial and intellectual standing took a shine to Bim with many of them staying at the then Holiday Inn and Hilton. But they were treated rather badly by the same black hotel workers just because they were black and assertive enough to demand proper service similar to that shown to their white counterparts. As a result of that shabby treatment and hostile experiences Barbados missed out on establishing a niche market that would have grown by word of mouth. Black Americans can be very big spenders if treated properly’ valued and made to feel welcomed.

@ ac | September 21, 2012 at 8:58 AM |

There is sufficient precedence and evidence to arrive at such a conclusion.
Ask those from Guyana, Jamaica and the East Caribbean. Even the black British complain about the attitudes of black Bajans towards them. Most black Bajans are so stupid as to not even realize that most black Guyanese have Barbadian heritage. Many still totally dismiss their West African heritage but prefer to talk glibly about their English, Irish or Scottish ancestry foolishly making reference to their family names adopted from their previous slave masters and plantation owners and managers

@ ac | September 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM |
“… this forum would have been open to giving advice or suggestions out of which others can learn but i maybe wrong..”

What more advice and suggestions you want the authorities to be made aware of? Don’t you read what the likes of islandgal, Adrian, Colonel Buggy and the likes have been contributing to this blog. These people are not knocking Barbados. On the contrary, they all have the country at heart and want to see it improve and succeed not become another failed banana state.
Don’t you feel that the ‘powers-that-be’ read these blogs? You better believe they do. Ask David, then! Even if they don’t they certainly get feedback from visitors and comments on TripAdvisor and the likes.
Have you seen any massive attempts to clean up the place by the people paid to do such?
Go to the urban areas and look at the state of our roads, gutters and unused lots instead of blaming OSA for everything wrong in Barbados today.

…..somebody want you comin bout hay ?….ya rude…cah ya xxxx

VEX……the truth hurts nuh. Until I see black Bajans given the same level of service given to White people I will say they have become emancipated. You know as well as I do that there is a service for Black people and one for White.

I have been to restaurants where because I am black was neglected and had seen white people come to the same restaurant after me and got prompt smiling service. The problem with people like you and AC YOU DON”T KNOW WHAT GOOD SERVICE IS! Mediocrity is the given standard and I pity people like you who pretend that piss poor service is the best service that you have been exposed to.

I want Bajans to raise the bar and treat all races equally. I want people to say that we will go the extra mile and mean it. I want the island look like a pristine garden with restored buildings that I can drive by and admire. I want to see clean streets, clean homes regardless of where they may be. I want to see the highest regard for our environment, with trees planted along the streets and avenues. I want to see people pick up their garbage and take it home to dispose of it properly. I want Bajans to enjoy a green and healthy Barbados. Is that too much to ask for? Or it is all shoite to you and AC? A clean environment is a great moral booster like a tonic for the soul.
If we can’t see our faults ourselves there will never be any improvement. What have you done to improve your island home?

We are veering from the substantive issue. The product and the marketing strategy. Are we doing what is required to be world standard.

no i think we are doing just fine as a different view was presented on the issues of “service in barbados” all to do with marketing strategy putting in mind that a nations people”s is its greatest assest.if we cann’t sell our people then what is then left.

island gal just look at your response and the attitude that goes along with it . now compare your response which is filled with hostility to my more caring and gentle or even sympathetic . can you say the same for your response yet you would want people to believe that your approach towards those who are serving you would be different. however whether it be Cheffete or KC i have always be receptive to those hard working and underpaid employees not waiting for them to greet me first but always willing to greet them with a smile. or a kind word and an occasional tip.

ac the hotel industry is waiting on government for every last cent, every initaitive to move forward .Hotels are closing hotels are also opening and reopening. Time out in the Gap is reopened the big yellow Oceans Hotel in the Gap open the other day there must be others so dont be afraid to challenge island gal and loveridege. The best place for the truth on the hotel sector is the BWU here’s where the industry’s workforce is represented. Have you heard the Duke of Yorke spouting gloom and doom on tourism. When he does we have to pay attention.
With island gal attitude she will encounter problems with customer service.

David wrote, “The Barbados product is tired”

I disagree. The Barbados product is dingy and deteriorating in quality.

A clean well kept Hotel with comfortable rooms and a pleasant caring staff never gets tired.

A restaurant that consistently serves good well presented food served by pleasant staff never gets tired.

A beach that is clean and safe never gets tired.

Good entertainment like the hotel bands in the 70s never gets tired.

If a Tourist spends a week in Barbados and the roads,beaches and hotel properties are clean….If every meal is good and served by pleasant staff….If he can swim without jet skis trying to drown him…..

These simple things will bring him back occasionally.

The Barbados product needs a clean up and improvement in quality.

The only thing new that can work for Barbados in its current state is a Casino resort because gamblers just interested in trying to win the big one.

david i am not going to feel sorry for the hotel industry what did they do with all the money they had in times of plenty. maybe they need to take many pages out of Butch Stewart “How to survive in hard times and be a forced to be reckoned with” instead of relying on taxpayers hand outs.