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Visitors to Barbados Get 'free' Spending Money

The Telegraph Newspaper in the UK has an article called “Barbados visitors get ‘free’ spending money”. Basically it states that the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) is giving vouchers for USD$150 – $ 200 person for stays up to Dec 21 to try to break the downward trend in arrivals to the island from this very…

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Andrew Nehaul
Andrew Nehaul

The Telegraph Newspaper in the UK has an article called “Barbados visitors get ‘free’ spending money”.

Basically it states that the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) is giving vouchers for USD$150 – $ 200 person for stays up to Dec 21 to try to break the downward trend in arrivals to the island from this very important market. The idea is good as the money is spent in Barbados and thus does not affect the foreign reserves but there are two areas that should be considered.

1)The period is too short. The UK is traditionally not a short booking market. However, this will work if consumer advertising is put behind it to
entice those who can no longer go to Egypt and other Middle East areas due to the political problems. These vouchers should be available to all
local services – restaurants, car hire, tourism ancillary services etc.

2)Open this initiative to all markets to bolster winter. This should be offered for all arrivals from Jan 1 to the week before Easter. Well promoted, this should produce a bumper winter.

Put a catchy name to it, create a logo, graphics and short text and encourage all hotels, services and tour partners worldwide to add it to their websites.

44 responses to “Visitors to Barbados Get 'free' Spending Money”

  1. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    Catchy Name – Barbados Island Inclusive

  2. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    We are now compensating visitors for coming to Barbados – but they must stay in hotels. So those of us staying with relatives and friends lose out.
    A policy made in a mental asylum.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Hal

    It is not a perfect world and if you want to compete it is what the competition is doing. What can we say.

  4. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Make Barbados a better travel destination. Develop our leisure and tourism products, let hotels compete on prices, (even with LIAT we need low-cost flights between islands, we need a good nighttime economy, not St Lawrence Gap.
    The place for that is to develop the City, making it attractive and safe for young people to go after work.
    Develop our creative industries: where is the Rihanna dividend? Tourists go to places that are appealing, no matter how expensive or the inconvenience – Paris, the world’s most popular destination; New York, which is even more popular than LA; Rio, Sydney, Beijing, all demand visas and are costly, but yet people want to visit.
    Most of all, diversify from tourism. This one-trick pony will not get us very far in five, ten, twenty years’ time.
    Are we a nation of waiters, rip-off hotel owners, lawyers and tourism officials?

  5. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    wow there is no money to pay workers but yet we can fork out 200 dollar vouchers for visitors. I mean where is the principle here. Are we saying that its ok to let our own not have the means to pay their bills and suffer the indignation of not being able to feed themselves and pay bills whilst tourist who obviously will not come to Barbados without money, can get a free 200 dollars to spend. I know you have to do something to attract tourist but giving away money when you there is none, according to you, to give away is really incredible…

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Hal

    As the old people are wont to say, you have to lie down in the bed you make.

  7. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ David

    Not if you are a domestic servant. That is a sackable offence.

  8. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Nobody is giving away money, they are vouchers, to use at different places. So hypothetically the tourist uses the voucher for a restaurant but may need a cab to get there, or maybe one voucher was a car discount, they use the voucher to eat but they still tip and it may not cover the whole meal anyway, it is just away of getting money moving around.
    But I didn’t get anything say some, well all I can say is you have to look at the big picture. Staying with relatives eating at their homes making one trip out to use the voucher is not helpful to anybody. Don’t feel bad I rent houses or apartments each time I come, bring 6 people at a time for decades, and I don’t get anything either. But I can see past my self interest and appreciate that they are trying to increase numbers of tourists which will hopefully put money in the system.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Well we are here now as Arthur stated in hs say budget response. We have to rollout a short and mid term strategy.

  10. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Lawson

    A voucher can be exchanged for a good or service, so in practical terms it is money. The tourist may spend more money, but the voucher reduces the amount of cash they spend.
    Why not give all visitors? Or even better, why not introduce a tourist visa which can be obtained before travelling or at the airport?
    A Bds$30 visa will not put off a single traveller, not even me and that money can be hypothecated towards the tourism marketing budget..

  11. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Hal
    In practical terms the only thing that the people of Bridgetown and paris have in common is they both like to piss on walls or in the street . Whenever you look at the air Canada destinations Barbados is listed under the sun destinations not the wine country not the museum and history not the ski destinations but the sun destination and there is a reason for that. I have bitched like everybody else about nothing being done to up numbers, and commend them for trying warts and all. The vouchers will not all be used, tourists will forget they have them , locals wouldn’t or the ones you gave to the people you stayed with will be used , have you ever used one of those coupon books you never use them all and they cant be redeemed for money.

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Half the world is a sun destination. People visit different countries for all kinds of reasons.

  13. Peltdownman Avatar
    Peltdownman

    Did you read the second comment after the Telegraph article by a wheelchair user who visited Barbados?

  14. ComeHere Avatar
    ComeHere

    Jet Blue has canceled a few of its scheduled February flights from JFK. It appears there will be no flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning sometime in January. The nonstop AA flight from JFK will now be routed through MIA. As dismal as the future looks for Barbados due to the runaway train of Gov’t incompetence, losing airlift and by extension decimating the number 1 source of revenue will be its death. A suggestion is to apply this voucher nonsense to the cost of the airfare; at least if the planes arrive with passengers, it is a win-win for the airlines and the tourism business.
    To anyone watching this economic nightmare in Barbados unfold from the forest side of the trees, it is mind numbing at the lack of positive inertia and sense of urgency on the part of the tourism officials and responsible Gov’t ministers. Do you realize that the Food WIne Festival, advertised and sponsored by AMEX but seemingly forgotten by the VisitBarbados site was just yesterday updated with the correct dates and schedule for this November event? Why? Who is responsible? A HUGE opportunity for the island. Sad.

  15. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Hal
    Correct , but you know as well as I that a lot of the sun destinations have other draws Egypt the pyramids Mexico the pyramids Guatemala, Peru etc etc Barbados is a one trick pony
    I am quite disappointed with your revelation that you from what I can glean a well to do journalist Knowing the dire straits the island is in would choose to stay with family and friends rather than try to boost the economy by renting. Ours like the British money is quite high as compared to the Barbados dollar returning nationals should be trying to help the island out as much as they can . A lot of the people who visit Britain and France are descendants ,of family who want to see their roots which is a big boon to the economy Britain for the history, Hadrian’s wall, big ben ,Trafalgar square Paris like Bridgetown the cities of love, In Paris is so imotional the males are said to cry while making love because they treat every woman as if she were their first and only love. In brigdetown the males cry while making love because of the mace

  16. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Lawson

    I agree with you. But you must not let the people in Barbados hear you call them a one-trick pony. in fact, the pony is lame. Just look at our beaches, then go to Grenada, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands; go to Jamaica or Tobago.
    We need a leisure and tourism strategy – a real strategy, not mumbo jumbo.

    .

  17. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Hal
    Hear is the strategy SAFETY the safe and friendly island.

  18. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    David:

    Do you know if the mechanics for the proper functioning of the voucher system has been put in place? Would the vouchers be given at the immigration desks or the hotels or guest houses?
    It’s a pity that visitors staying privately cannot benefit. These people spend lots of money too and certainly help with the foreign exchange.
    October to mid December is a very low travel period out of the UK and any incentive that encourages people to travel to Barbados to take advantage of the low airfares should be strenuously promoted and applied to all visitors out of the UK in the most efficient manner.
    I think Hal Austin has a fair point.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    There is a website somewhere which details the offer, will try to find it which is part of the problem.

  20. Forward ever backward never Avatar
    Forward ever backward never

    By Dawne Parris | Sun, September 15, 2013 – 12:11 AM

    Barbados is maintaining its prime position in the cruise market with the second highest number of calls in the Eastern Caribbean for the upcoming winter season, but it will have to fight harder to attract more ships for the summer period.

    Statistics provided by chairman of the Caribbean Shipping Association Cruise Committee, Nathan Dundas, showed that Barbados would have 373 calls for the October to April period, with St Maarten being the only destination to expect more – 603.

    Chief executive officer of Foster and Ince Cruise Services Inc., Martin Ince, told the SUNDAY SUN the figures were encouraging news for the sector, adding that the prospects for the future also looked good with an anticipated 780 000 cruise ship arrivals for the October 2013 to October 2014 period.

    However, he said the summer period remained the weakest time of year for the local industry. The good news, though, was that an initiative was in train to turn that situation around.
    Please read the full story in today’s SUNDAY SUN, or in the eNATION edition.
    ———-

    ran across this article was not surprised BU nayayers did not comment because it looks like a bright spark for Barbados amidst the gloom. No surprise the miller, loveridge or prodigal and Hal Austin not interested in the story.

    Its mid boggling how persons from a country are thrilled by the prospect of seeing their country in economic trouble. There are some sick people out there.

  21. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    Let’s see if the ‘free’ money idea works. We are to quick to pull down and tear down everything. This same money will be spent on tourism dependant businesses. Nothing will be perfect and all the stakeholders cannot be satisfied regardless of whatever idea is proposed.

  22. ac Avatar
    ac

    The vultures are at it again picking and dissecting the barbados economy. trying there best to give it that final push. Wunna Push O.k. Push real hard cause in the final countdown we all hit rock bottom…… PUSH keep pushing yardfowls.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Kevin

    The bottom line is that itis not a sustainable initiative. It can only be effective for a season because the competition will copy it.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    We need to hear and discuss the tourism master plan.

  25. chbrel adams Avatar
    chbrel adams

    The cruise ship arrivals are great, butt the berthing charges are so high, they hightail it outta there before 5.pm. Where as before we departed at 10.pm. having dinner on the island. Does this make sense to anyone?

  26. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Forward ever
    St martin has a population of 80000 yours is near 4 times that , if the people were living off these ships alone, and even if st marten had less ships visiting they still potentially would have a higher standard of living so how many visits are needed for Anguilla’s 15000 or st kitts to have the same standard of living from shipping as Barbados even though they placed further down the list ….that is why nobody is getting real excited about placing 2nd.Now again this Loveridge thing , the man is selling his property, it is far better for him if Barbados is prosperous Not once have I seen him wanting Barbados to fail ,only criticizing the people who are failing to make the island prosperous He has a vested interest in the island unlike me and another bunch of you He has gambled on Barbados , made jobs paid taxes and has to rely on tourists because when the locals come home even the well off ones don’t want to spend money by staying at family and friends.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    The law change to permit gambling was designed to lure the ships to remain in port later not so?

  28. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Giveaways are nothing new in the world of marketing. Competition will always be there. You go to a store and buy an item for 1500. Then they give you back a rebate for 300. Some work and are worth it to the customer some dont. What’s all the fuss about?

  29. Roverp Avatar
    Roverp

    Barbados has a serious fall off in demand that needs to be corrected!

  30. David Avatar
    David

    @Roverp

    What is new? We have been preaching it on BU for the past 3 years constantly. It does not matter if the market is tough, if we don’t get innovative and find a way to bring the people, we die.

  31. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    As you said yesterday David coupons etc are short term, there is no reason why Barbados cannot be the Mecca of health care destinations, state of the art facilities for dental, cosmetic etc.. operations too expensive back home come on a holiday and have it done at a reasonable cost and recover in paradise. You have a well educated populace that can be brought up to speed quickly to what is expected of them and the bench marks that have to be met. The population is aging around the world there are opportunities. The only problem as usual is greed, The govt should be paying for doctors and dentists education, but a contract would be signed that they work in the govt institutions for a minimum time to pay back for their education costs abroad. It might to be hard to get over the servitude idea, but remember they would be getting a good salary as well, and may want to stay on rather than trying to go out on their own

  32. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Lawson

    But we must spend our education budget strategically. Just the silly idea of a graduate in every home is not a strategy; a graduate in what? Cultural studies? Journalism?
    We want more young people doing maths and theoretical physics; more doing the CFA exams and not business studies; more write software programmes and not cricket studies. We do not want (or need) more lawyers, but better lawyers.
    We need to spend more on five to 16 yr olds. This is the challenge for minister Jones. And we need to confront the trade union bullies in the public sector – dinosaurs holding back progress for the short-termism of a job and a pay packet.

  33. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    I believe that the biggest problem you have is that too many people are feeding off the same plate, it may be sad but a lot of these young educated people may have to leave the island not only for themselves but to save the island as a whole. if the govt cant come up with a strategy to keep the current level of population employed. what are they going to do if it increases

  34. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Lawson
    Again, govt has not got a job creation strategy and they are not prepared to listen to people from outside the party loop.
    It is party tribalism that is killing us. But we must save the 16-24 yr olds. This is now a national emergency.

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Hal

    In the news this morning is the report that our students are failing in maths.

    Hell even our road fatalities declining.

  36. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Minister Jones has a challenge. He should just ignore those juveniles at UWI protesting about tuition fees and opposition politicians trying to make capital out of it.
    If govt continues to pay for these under-performing students, what about future generations.
    We must lift the entire nation, not just a few. If the students miss too many lectures, then penalise them.
    Why can’t CBC run basic maths classes? After all the Open University does it. And from today a number of Russell Universities are offering free online lessons.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Good point Hall, it should not be an issue for CBC to add the feed from one of the universities who deliver online classes.

  38. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Hal Austin | September 18, 2013 at 7:57 AM |
    “Why can’t CBC run basic maths classes? After all the Open University does it. And from today a number of Russell Universities are offering free online lessons.”

    Very good idea to justify the CBC’s value to the society.

    It takes a very effective teacher and good communicator to teach Maths.
    Unfortunately those skills are very much lacking in the Victorian-based educational system that persists in Barbados today with a young population exposed to information technology in their daily lives.

    I think mathematics and the other sciences ought to be done using ICT with an on-line facilitator. The facilitator could also be present in the Primary and Secondary levels classrooms but not in the role of chalk marker and talker but as an enabler to those students requiring special assistance with the concepts.

  39. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    David. Years ago, Barbados was classified a destination of sea and sun with flying fish and cou cou. Other Caribbean destinations have sea, sun and rain like us and even the flying fish tek off and relaxing in Trini waters. Visitors were amazed by the friendliness of our people when travelling through the country side seeing labourers working the fields with our unique houses and the village atmosphere. Today, tour buses zoom pass massive homes, villagers become selfish watching soaps and the bush swaying as if welcoming the tour buses. Scarecely a soul on the road. We are now classified as one of the most expenses countries and the same guests asking us. “How come we can afford to live in this expensive country”. We had places of entertainment like the Pepperpot etc. where visitors came here just to hear the Merrymen and other local acts. Today, although we have international stars like Rihanna, Shontelle, Edwin, RPB, Gabby, Alison Hinds and company, none of them perform at any of the entertainment venues for visitors and locals since the majority of them closed doors.in the island. Entertainment is D.E.A.D and buried. An entertainment disease is becoming epidemic in the island with no cure . You think that putting on a show here and there will entice tourists to come to Barbados? During the tourist season, we need “ENTERTAINMENT” we need tourist oriented activities, not only an expensive bellyful, a dip in the sea with countless paros trying to sell you a spiff, or harass you with beads. Everyone of us need to act as customer services representatives for our country. Taking a hundred selected guests and entertaining them at Llaro Court monthly is bare boo and can be a significant expense to tax payers. As a matter of fact, tourist aint interest in officialdom with suits and wedding dresses, they prefer to see normal bajans and eating real bajan food instead of international delicacies. What about the the thousands others that visit our island that might not have a damn opportunity to be entertained. I will say we only care about .07% of the total tourists (MoF loves this percentage). All this white paper, the10-point plan and $200 voucher aint saying a pang. We keep talking about room stock. Would the building of new hotels increase visitor arrivals when the majority of hotels are below 60% average? Adrian what say you.

  40. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    I am reading about an idea government (DLP) has, a 100 acre prison farm, i see that as win win as long as they do not use the pesticides that are currently used on the island and that are banned in the industrialized countries, the article’s writer kept espousing the negative but not the positives of being self-sufficient in food security while finding productive work for the prisoners whom taxpayers have to feed……..that would definitely be a great thread for debate.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    Top five off-peak destinations for fall 2013
    Along with sweaters and pumpkin-spice lattes, fall brings travel deals galore. In select regions, a short-lived harmony of still-somewhat-summery weather and slashed shoulder-season prices creates the perfect conditions for the frugal traveler. This year, we’ve identified five especially fabulous destinations where off-season pricing is ripe for the pickin’.
    Barbados
    One of the most cost-prohibitive parts of a Caribbean vacation is often the flight, but, generally, the more flights available to an island, the more competitive the fares to get there. Barbados’ extensive service via most major U.S. carriers—including JetBlue, American, Delta, and US Airways—makes it a budget-friendly pick for beach-seeking travelers, especially during fall.
    When we tested peak-season fares for travel in January, the lowest available fare came to $500 round-trip. Fares for about $100 less were readily available for late October and early November departures.
    Add to that the many seasonal price drops and deals that spring forth in Barbados come fall and you have even more reasons to visit. The Barbados Tourism Authority is offering a wide-ranging “free spending money” deal for those who visit the island before December 21: Receive up to $200 per person when you book with participating hotels, car-rental providers, and attractions. On top of that, lower seasonal prices provide even more savings: For example, at this participating Cassia Heights Island Villa, nightly rates are $150 cheaper in fall compared to winter.
    http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/09/19/fall-travel-deals-barbados-kauai-chicago/2828937/

  42. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    This be velly early for you David in flying fish land … no? Maybe you have sex with wife now and blog in two hour … no?

  43. David Avatar
    David

    Perhaps Baffy.

  44. Verne Avatar
    Verne

    Carol July 27, 2015 1040pm NYC

    I must say that the voucher system works, being one of those who used them. I think the restaurants and where ever you used them, they get the equivalent of what they are worth. it takes a while but they do get their money for the vouchers, I think it is a good deal, because it is so expensive to travel these days that it takes some saving up to get to sunny destinations, it is not always that a tourist you see may be rich or have money stacked away to travel for a vacation and if some help is given by any country to encourage you to come back it should be welcome, we sometimes have to give to get and look at the bigger picture. On the other hand the hotel industry have to take a second look at how their guests are treated, for instance a continental breakfast can be included in their packages, even if they have to tacked the price onto their prices, and some weekend entertainment, because after crop over is over, what then. there should be more cultural events going on, miss the Plantation cultural experience bring back something like that…..

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