Adrian Loveridge – Hotelier
A lot of discussion has taken place over the last year or so about the importance of attracting Chinese visitors to Barbados and few will disagree that it is a potential massive market that cannot be ignored. Let us though take a minute to look at the practical reality. Using Great Circle (shortest route by air) distances, Beijing is a mind-boggling 8,775 miles from Barbados. Shanghai is some 9,381. Even if current aircraft could fly those distances non-stop, it entails a minimum flying time of 17 to 19 hours and then there are all sorts of crewing and equipment challenges.
Air China is presently the only airline to operate non-stop services from Beijing to New York (JFK) with11 flights weekly by B777-200 aircraft and a flight time of around 13 hours. China Eastern Airlines operate Shanghai to JFK at least daily. In an extensive interview recently when questioned about direct flights into the Caribbean, Dr. Zhihang Chi, Vice President and General Manager of North America for Air China stated that was not an option. However, he said ‘that China’s flag carrier would instead be targeting more flights to North American hubs and striking up partnerships with local carriers to funnel traffic into the Caribbean’. Adding ‘that the airline has ordered an incredible US$10.7 billion worth of new aircraft that will help it to achieve this end’! Since Dr. Chi took up his current post seven years ago, Air China’s traffic to North America has doubled.
This to me seems our lowest risk option in partnership with JetBlue. Another alternative could be the non-stop flights from both Beijing and Shanghai flown by Air Canada into Toronto, with possible connecting flights to Barbados.
But to further increase the odds of attracting more Chinese nationals, we have – in my humble opinion – to give them additional reasons to choose us in preference to other regional competitors. The key may be a cruise and stay campaign specifically targeted towards this market especially with the smaller higher-end ships.
Secondly, we have to use this time to look at the obvious language and dietary challenges. With our close working relationship with the Peoples Republic and various mutual commitments to ‘build stronger linkages’, I am sure they could help establish a dedicated Mandarin learning centre for our hospitality industry. Some major hotel brands like Hilton have already started back in August 2011, initially across 12 countries, training staff with their Huanying (literally translated welcome) programme, tailoring tastes and expectations towards Chinese guests while giving the lodging giant a distinct competitive advantage.
In 2012 the top 25 countries for arrivals from China, according to Euromonitor International were: 1) Hong Kong; 2) Macau; 3) South Korea; 4) Thailand; 5) Taiwan; 6) Singapore; 7) USA; 8) Japan; 9) Vietnam; 10) Malaysia 11) France (12) Russia 13) Germany 14) Switzerland 15) Australia; 16) Indonesia; (17) Austria; 18) Cambodia; 19) United Arab Emirates; 20) Philippines; 21) Italy; 22) Canada; 23) New Zealand; 24) United Kingdom and 25) Mongolia.
From these figures there is clear evidence that many Chinese tourists are willing to travel over vast distances we just have to discover what about the Caribbean, would especially entice them to our shores. And maybe this is a task that could be better undertaken collectively by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, rather than by individual destinations with limited resources.
We are clutching at straws. The answer to growing our economy is to diversify, develop new skills, widen our education and training.
Chinese want to visit old Europe, the theatre, historic architecture, buy designer goods, and most of all, compare themselves with developments in Europe and North America. They believe what used to be called the Third World has nothing to teach them. They are just there to be exploited.
Hal
A lot of my friends who vacation in Barbados, do for the beautiful beaches and the hospitality of the people. The only real problem their saw were the unkept streets in certain areas of the island but either than that, their said that Barbados was an okay place to vacation.
@Adrian
A good yardstick to use is Jamaica and how many Chinese tourists they have been able to attract given their visibility on the world stage as a Caribbean desfination. Is Barbados able to do what a Jamaica has not been able to do or vice versa?
@ David
Jamaica has been a major attraction for Japanese tourists mainly because of Bob Marley. In time Rihanna may attract tourists to Barbados, but I suggest we devise a Rihanna trail – from where she was born, went to school, lived etc, complete with a locally written guide to the rise and rise of Rihanna. Beaches alone will not attract new tourists. In any case, our biggest potential market are those with a Barbados heritage in Panama, Cuba, Europe and North America. People want to find their roots.
@Hal
Building the tourism product must be seen against rising competition from emerging and cheaper markets. The concern must be about execution if we factor what the former Ambasador Sir Lloyd has had to say not positive about processing visas etc.
David,
In 2013 Jamaica attracted 2,420 Chinese visitors, which was a 15.1 per cent increase on the previous year. They have the same geographical challenges (Montego Bay-Beijing 8,311 miles and Shanghai 8,781 miles) but at least they havemade a start with a 30 day VISA waive in place.I have sent the link.
I think its also important to point out the Jamaican competitive advantage. The reason given for TUI Nordic pulling out of Barbados was that they could not obtain attractive hotel rates. They wanted to pay US$100 per room (two persons) for a 4 star All-Inclusive product.
They have 4 star hotels in Jamaica that are willing to supply rooms at US$80 per night all inclusive.
Until we deal with the extraordinary unilateral concessions granted to Sandals, my prediction is that we will lose more tour operators.
@ David
If a destination is attractive visas will not stop people from coming. One of the most difficult countries to visit is Australia, yet everyday there is a long queue outside Australia House to get visas.
The reason is, if you have ever visited Australia (a country of 20m people) is that once there you won’t want to leave.
What we need in Barbados is a set of leisure facilities which will differentiate the Barbados Experience from any other Caribbean Experience. We do not have that.
We have beaches and do-so restaurants, but few people will travel to Barbados to lunch or dine.
I do because I was raised on Miss Sealy’s pones, ham cutters, fish cakes, and cut drops. I also liked Gwen Workman’s lead pipes and Martineaus.
But these attractions will not appeal to Chinese, Japanese or Korean tourists.
@ Adrian,
Barbados is a fantastic tourist destination. However, the geographical distance between the two countries is simply too vast.
Put simply, if a tourist from China makes a decision to take a vacation within the Americas, they would generally select the USA over all other countries within this region. This is evident and requires no explanation from me.
Look closer to home. A possible market to target could be students from the USA who have a habit of celebrating their spring break vacation. I have attached a link for your perusal:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-rite-stuff-good-times-selfdiscovery-and-lots-of-booze–the-truth-about-spring-break-9210936.html
Gentlemen
Bob Marley is a legend, Robyn Fenty is not.
Please do not get tied up in the interpretation of my statement as me meaning that Rihanna is not an international performer on premeire note.
I am speaking to the term “legend” in the sense of “Elvis” and to a lesser degree “Michael Jackson” in juxtaposition to “popularity”.
Two completely different things legend and popular
The point which Hal is making and one with which i concur, is “what is, or will be the Barbados Experience which will so encourage the Chinese to leave, Beijing to travel these 9K miles to come to this Piece of the Rock, Gem of the Caribbean sea?
Who will come to “see” the unkempt streets that abound throughout our island, the pissy alley in Bridgetown proper by the taxi stand on lower broad street manned by animals that “piss against the walls”, Ninja, the colourful indigent, in his transgender outfits, and a general island wide ambience of dilapidated properties which reinforce the (chinese) concept that black peoples are monkeys
The Chinese, whether they speak Mandarin or Cantonese, are naturally acquisitive, glitzy, materialistic, shopping freaks. I can’t believe they’re ready for a dot no larger than downtown somewhere or other on the Yangtze which offers little more than sun, sea and sand, and not even when packaged as the Caribbean’s little Switzerland (in Adrian’s scheme of things) . Mind, I don’t see why Adrian should describe 8000 plus miles as “mind-boggling”. The distance from UK to China is? To Thailand is? To Australia is?
H Austin is quite right.I can’t imagine anyone coming here to “dine” on a pone – actually, not even H Austin.
My sense of this post is that a non-issue is in fact a bigger non-issue than we’d supposed….. maybe like the non-issue of Mrs Obama trying to teach the Chinese about education. I’m sure that went down very well too.
Piece
“Gentlemen”……do you really want to go there?
Apologies, gentlemen and Ladies, i had scanned the submissions up to that point and erroneously addressed the “visual” audience in the virtual room, male chauvanist pig that I am (lol)
@ Excalimer
The “low hanging fruit” of the spring breakers of the more proximate USofA that you have so easily identified would be lost on Minister Richard Sealy who still is bedazzled by the bountiful breasts and botsies of the Brazilians (BBBB) that he tried so ineptly to wuk up on when they were here last
That is the thing with us men we think with the wrong head and Sealy having given that $15K limit credit card to that lovely young lady in the Pine would not be able to pull the blood from his nether organ to his brain, sorry brain box, for “he Who see Spirits above thy Head” does not have a brain.
I can understand why Loveridge would not have proposed to market his Peace and Quiet to that demographic since, post their visit, he would have to rename his hotel “Archie Brek dem Up” but for the Minister Sealy, who is supposed to have a “macro view of things” to be still focusing on Brazilians instead of more proximate srping and summertime markets well i rest my case….
It is sooooo easy to get the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus involved in a “Strategic Student Exchange” with all of the US Universities on the Eastern Starboard to enroll in a Cave Hill Underwritten $2M student visitor initiative where the UWI would be responsible for issuing vouchers to students in that Spring Summer break special programme that the students could, on arrival, apply to their board and breakfast etc.
This way UWI Cave Hill could get some $$, they could work on alternative accomodation among the UWI staff and student populations and proximate, qualifying homes close to the Campus.
The thing about ideas Exclaimer is that whereas people like you and SITH, Hants, Miller, BT, Well Well, David [BU] Baffy etc are (i) able and (ii) disposed to share them for bebefit of our country now that we need the ideas, we have a cadre of parasites and wickers who, under the guise of caring for the common man and rubbing shoulders with the rand and file, totally abscond in their responsibility to govern and bring working suggestions to the table.
I accept that Richard Sealy and the rest of the DLP representatives are cvunts sorry female rabbits but does this mean that during their presence in the HoA that the other side are showing how inept they are as well?
Of course we can expect that Jamaica and the T&T crew, with their campuses will jump onto the “Strategic Student Exchange” submitted above but they dont have a Barbados to promote and offer.
Robert Ross wrote “The Chinese, whether they speak Mandarin or Cantonese, are naturally acquisitive, glitzy, materialistic, shopping freaks.”
You are absolutely correct. Limegrove Luxury Brands would sell out in no time.
I still don’t understand why we don’t focus on improving advertising in the North American market.
I have no expertise in tourism marketing but it appears that the key is targeting potential tourists in the cities,towns and areas where they live.
Interestingly the Chinese I would target live in Toronto and Markham Ontario.
pieceuhderockyeahright wrote “Bob Marley is a legend, Robyn Fenty is not.
Agreed. Rihanna is currently one of the top international pop music superstars and her value to Barbados will be 10 to 20 years from now when her fans are in their 30 – 50 year old bracket.
It is up to Barbados to create a ” home of Rihanna” experience.
I have Canadian friends who go to Rolling stones concerts and they are in their 50s. They enjoy the music and the “weed”.
As was said earlier, what about the condition of the physical plant ..? It seems, for the sake of argument, that maintenance work, the clearing of drains, is seen as easily dispensable. The dilapidation that is outer Bridgetown may have to wait a few more generations before some attention is given.
An what about Hainan … our competitor off the Chinese mainland ..?
Bob Marley is indeed a legend .. Who the hell is this Elvis Presley guy ..? I’ve had the opportunity to work in the Far East during Michael Jackson’s time and he was indeed a phenomenon. Again I was in the Far East a couple of years ago and Rihanna’s (about eighteen at the time) name was a shoo in with young Chinese.
(I’m googling this Elvis Presley guy …)
The USA spring breakers is a good target market because if they have a great experiance they will return when the are mature money earning University graduates.
BAFBFP wrote “As was said earlier, what about the condition of the physical plant ..?”
BU and its bloggers have been saying over and over.
CLEAN THE FACTING STREETS AND BEACHES.
Their must one person in the government who walks through Bridgetown.
Maybe they drive around Barbados in airconditioned cars with tinted windows.
Hants
I would not be surprised if the workers at the National Conservation Commission are also sent packing to join their friends from the Drainage Unit. ..! Hey maybe their friends from the Sanitation Authority may join them as well, as we continue to support one of the largest Cabinets in the country’s history (along with Parliamentary Secretaries and the like), and ongoing redundancies in Housing and Culture.
Piece
” reinforce the (Chinese) concept that black people are monkey”
Who really cares what Chinese people think or anyone for that matter? Once you know who you are and what you stand for as a person. Who gives a shite. Do you validate your self – worth on the basic of what Chinese people thinks about you? If the Chinese who vacation in Barbados do not like what their see, than their can get the stepping as African American colloquialism goes.
chinese do not like black people is widely known.most asians do not.
and here now you have this——–http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/11-reasons-you-should-never-ever-take-a-cruise#1
http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/11-reasons-you-should-never-ever-take-a-cruise#1
TAXATION is the willful and dishonest expropriation by the government of Barbados of the remuneration properties of the relevant individuals, businesses and other entities in this country, (and) with the intention of the said government of Barbados of permanently depriving owners of those portions of their remuneration properties.
Thus, the claim by some persons in Barbados that this evil wicked fascist totalitarian TAXATION system in this country redistributes national remunerations is patently false and bogus.
For, in line with the above definition, it is an absolute fact that the government not only despicably STEALS and ROBS the relevant individuals, businesses and other entities of countless portions of their remuneration properties, but it also PERMANENTLY KEEPS those portions of those remuneration properties.
Furthermore, notwithstanding the fact that those monies that are given over to government by the relevant persons, either on the behalf of themselves or others, are also naturally representative of those portions of remunerations that are being STOLEN ROBBED by the government – the fact too is that, with these monies having to be constantly eventually mixed up with other monies (monies too do not carry identities) that are already in the core financial system, there is and can be no way they can later represent those portions of remunerations that were in fact STOLEN ROBBED by the government.
Moreover, such facts – as referred to – cannot be evidence of support for some really fallacious spurious claim by the said persons that this anti-people anti-productive TAXATION system REDISTRIBUTES national remunerations.
What is even worse about such a fallacious spurious claim is that it tenors an entirely false and counterfeit presumption that these TAXATION/THEFT proceeds are redistributed away from the entities whose remunerations are TAXED, to become the remunerations of really NON-EXISTENT recipients ( who the holders of this fallacy – that Taxation redistributes national remuneration – have wrongly identified as the same government workers, business people having done business with government, pensioners, etc. , as the recipients of those proceeds ), when in truth and in fact these monies (that represent the transfers) that government workers, persons doing businesses with government, that pensioners, etc., receive, only emerge from the transferring of the monies in the core financial system by the core financial system to the particular persons and other entities, and most importantly only come after the said transfers (nominal digitized) ARE and HAVE BEEN ONLY MERELY ASSUMED in the settings of the agreed contracts between the parties (government and the others).
Thus, transfers ONLY exist when money – of which there is no tracing – is in the hands of the recipients.
So, what rubbish about Taxation redistributing national remunerations.
PDC
@ Dompey
You miss the point
This article by Loveridge claims that China is a lucrative market for us to secure tourist throughput
In addition to suggesting that we harvest more proximate markets I went on to point out that the said Chinese are not lovers of black people and since i have been to china in a past lifetime, take to actively spitting at blacks, may prove to be a collosal waste of tourism marketing dollars.
It would seem as if you have become my cyberspace admirer (note that i did not say nemesis and now follow my commentary with the alacrity of a cyberstalker)
Do not get entrapped by my “loquacity and verbosity” keep focused on the message which is “why should our Ministry of Tourism hunt out tourism dollars in a clime where people are not partial to “persons of colour” of whom 95% of Barbados is comprised?
Again you have equated my posit about attracting racists tourists with a discourse about “what is your Mirror Image” and one’s identity as a black man. The phrase is “get to stepping” been dere and done dat too.
I have seen the Acronym BBE here on BU, and have offered BBBB – Big Botsied Brazilians Beauties as the kryptonite that affects Richard Sealy Minister of Tourism.
Might i suggest a third acronym for the exclusive us of the blog owner David [BU]
BBBRI – Banned (from) BU By Reason (of) Idiocy to be applied liberally with …….
@ BAFBFP
You said and i quote “(I’m googling this Elvis Presley guy …)”
The Elvis Presley Guy that you are having difficulty oogling as in “Elvis has left the building” is that eccentric white fellow who died of a drug overdose at Graceland
Graceland is a site “declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006.
Graceland has become one of the most-visited private homes in America with over 600,000 visitors a year, behind the White House and Biltmore Estate (900,000 visitors per year)
600,000 visitors would be alot of people to come to our local tourist attractions you think Baffy?
I was wondering if we could get one of our local artisans mek a statuette uh Elvis and mek he run through Turners hall Woods like de Yeti or Lock Ness Monster.
Den we cud get we Tourism Authority to sen out a release say dat Elvis ghost has been sighted in Bulbados and so all dem peeple dat does visit Graceland would come here to we island en, once dem get through dat ingrunt long line at de airport wid dem slow poke immigration officers, dem cud run through de gully to tek pictures uh dat Elvis fellow, whu you tink Baffy?
To connect with flights from Toronto to BGI, Chinese tourist would have to overnight at the airport in Toronto without leaving the in- transit lounge. The chances of the Canadian Government giving out visas which would be required to leave the airport to go to a hotel while waiting for up to 20 or so hours to connect with the flights to Barbados s just about ZERO. For most it would be the vacation from hell…..almost 35 hours of flying and airport time.
As far as spring breakers go, one of the things we all have to realize is that Barbados is very very expensive destination. If you want to study what makes Sprig Break destinations a big attraction check out places like Fort Lauderdale and Destin Florida. These spots range between 16 and 22 hours driving time from Toronto, New York etc. $300 for gas split between 4 people $75 each. Hotels and apartments at about the same or less cost. If the spring breakers want to upscale it they go all inclusive to Cuba, Mexico, Dominican R,. All inclusive for about $800 a week. Barbados would be probably be 3 to 4 times the price or more. Coming to Barbados is not even a consideration for students.
Piece
And also Piece, I really do not care what Chinese thinks about monkeys because I happen to think that there are beautiful creatures. (God created them) It seems as though you have been indoctrinated by a world system, which wants you to believe that the colour of ones skin determines the content of one character.
@ SITH
That is precisely the point of vouchers augmented by alternative accomodation where possible by UWI faculty and students.
Just like the $11M fiasco that the minister of tourism underwrote the $2M would permit a discount on the pernicious hotel rates that our one star establishments masquerading as five star accomodation now charge.
I am sure that some of the BHTA members would be keen to join up with the University of the West Indies Cave Hill if they could be guaranteed occupancy through students during the off season.
Dont ask me, i is jes an ole man, ask a man like Dennis Tull who been in dis business for years, ask de small hoteliers and even Loveridge if he would be willing to tek a chance wid a programme like dis.
Mr Loveridge, you deah, whu you as a seasoned hotelier tink uh de idea??
Now doan pout causing i ent support de Chinese Connection tingy, but tell me if the concept of this “Strategic Student Exchange” proposal has any merit?
Here is a little piece on Virgin
“He also confirmed that Virgin would set up its own cruise ship division, having been quoted in an Abu Dhabi newspaper as saying he was seeking investors for a $1.7 billion project.
“Most of the money is now committed,” Branson said. “We will start by building two big ships from scratch and feel the Virgin brand will work very well in cruises.”
Does this mean less people will becoming to BGI for land based tourism? Very little doubt that Virgin air fares will be bundled with cruises. Presently Virgin are loosing money so changes are going to be made. Maybe the Chinese will fill the planes. It sure does not sound like a potential spike for land based tourism in the Caribbean.
pieceuhderockyeahright
Take a look at ytube spring breaks and tell me how we gonna get to that, Spring Breakers have very limited budgets. The airfare to get to BGI is more than most have to spend for the whole break. It is all about price and partying.
@ SITH
Spring Breakers from Harvard and Yale, and other elite colleges, courted for cross cultural exchanges as envisioned do not have the same spend limitations as Howard or City of New York (CUNY)
Again it has alot to do with who your audience is
Robert,
Fair comment, but apples with apples.
London/Beijing is 5,071 miles, so just a little longer than Gatwick/Barbados.Non-stop flights.
London/Thailand (Bangkok) 5,931 miles (so less than 11 hours)
Non-stop flights.
Australia YES – London/Sydney 10,557 miles (almost four hours more flying time than Barbados/Beijing and thats why currently NO direct non-stop flights exist on that route.
It would be interesting to know what percentage of travellers undertake
a London/Australia without a break enroute too.
Barbados AND the Caribbean should do joint branding campaigns to promote this region as a clean air environmentally friendly area. This may resonate with a smog infested.Chinese.
Hal
One of most difficult places to visit is Australia. And why is that? Because in America where I live, all you need is valid passport and a plane ticket.
@ Dombey
I can assure you that all you need is not a passport and plane ticket to visit the US. Since 9/11 the Home Security conditions are tough.
On the other hand, American citizens can travel to the Caribbean with only a driving licence.
While we are it it, India, a fellow Commonwealth country, has brick wall around the nation for non Indians.
Hal
I am afraid to say you can no longer travel to the Caribbean on a birth certificate after 9/11. A valid passport is required.
There are parts of China that have palm trees. The climate is not that much different than Florida in these areas. And the hotels….unbelievable superb 5 star facilities are available that I can assure you I have seen nothing in most places to compare with at the price offered. Don’t think we should put a lot of resources into the Chinese market. Most Chinese would find Barbados a big let down compared to their own Macau Island Beaches and Resorts. Google Macau Island and compare Barbados.
Hal everyone wants to go to Australia because they want to see that spot where your dingo ate that baby, Barbados needs something catchy to get the Chinese to come, you should be advertising that thing they do with the needles……oh yea heroin.
Mercy Lawson…what are you suggesting?
Flight founded in the Southern Indian Ocean all were skilled.
Flight founded in Southern Indian ocean all killed.
Why would the Chinese come here when they have some fantastic beach resorts in their backdoor? Take a look at the resorts in the Hainan province – beaches with white sand, sun and everything we have in their own language and food they enjoy. People need to remember that China is a BIG place with a lot to offer which many Chinese themselves have yet to see – and it is cheaper to get to and less time. The exact same problems as with getting tourist to come here from Brazil. We should double down efforts on the markets we know can produce and at the end of the day figure out the problems with pricing of our product – we are too expensive compared with who were are competing against. The country is being taxed by a heavily bloated government into oblivion.
On the spring breakers. They are a cheap crowd and usually destroy the accommodation they are in. Ask any hotelier that entertained them back in the 80’s when they started coming to Barbados. By the 3rd year most hoteliers stopped Spring Break groups from coming because they wanted the lowest rate / wanted to party all day and all night / annoyed other guest / destroyed rooms / drunk fighting / sex in public etc – we just can’t compete with the low cost destinations on this one. Just look at what happens in the US, many cities actually do not want them and ban them as they are a real nuisance.
Piece ..
Bulbados …? Where you bull, sorry pull dah one from .. ha ha ha
I am a James Brown man/Little Richard guy … that means of course that there is no space in my line of vision for this other .. what’s his name again ? Following or not. Sorry
Hey lookah wah I tell wunna .. NO CONCERN FOR PLANT .. So the drainage people get sen’ home (.. hopefully the skies will be kind to us for the next couple of years..) and now the “Beatify Barbados” people get sen’…
I’m looking forward to seeing that hefty Cabinet of ours (along with their supporters inclusive of the Parliamentary Secretaries) volunteer their time in keeping the strips of land that run along our highways manicured and free of obstruction.
Baf…………..check out the new waster to energy gig…lol
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/unbabies-u-incinerated-clinical-waste-heating-fuel-report-article-1.1732264
Last week while at the Garrison , it was interesting to see a tour bus, full of visitors, pulled up in front of the Main Guard House clock tower, and only a few of occupants dismounted to view the site,and very few of those bothered to take photographs of what we would refer to as our premier Heritage Site, given that it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. But on approach to the Clock tower , the visitors in the bus would have got a glimpse of the decaying and unkempt state of the buildings and surroundings along that road ,and would have wondered if they were really being taken to a World Heritage Site.
The Chinese have been accustomed to a culture, and discipline for the past tens of thousands of years, and quite frankly, we have nothing to offer them, unless they are coming to work with the China Construction Company.
Is this what we want to offer to visitors,whether they are from Beijing or Bank Hall? And politicians , like the Minister of Culture, and the Chief Town Planner are often braying about Our World Heritage Sites.One wonders if these people have really visited these sites, during the day. Given our open warfare with maintenance of any kind , the recently Church Village park which was opened with all the fanfare of a Royal Wedding, will not long from now join the decay of the following photos. MGHU.
. http://www.flickr.com/photos/83717797@N04/13320510313/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83717797@N04/13320336485/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83717797@N04/13320527003/in/photostream/
Dopey Donkey Dompey !
Please do not mislead the Blog
Read this link. Saudi Arabia’s growing role in the Maldives
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26668107
What do you have to offer the Chinese ?
Dr The Honourable
How did I misled the blog? You have gotten firsthand information. Flight 370 founded in the Southern Indian Ocean, all presumed dead. Watch CNN brother…
The correct report is that a British Satellite company has analyzed the ping and extrapolated that the plane based of hours flown must have crashed in the Southern ocean. The conclusion is being disputed.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/24/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/
@Adrian
Good to see that Barbados started the year flat 2014 over 2013 so far. March should be good.
I wont even trust British technology if my life depended on it. Russian perhaps!!!
David, where have gotten your information from? The BBC of course! Well, I’ll take my chances with CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS, they seem to be consistent in regards to the story.
dompey | March 24, 2014 at 7:31 PM |
I wont even trust British technology if my life depended on it. Russian perhaps!!!
…………………………………………………………………….
Some years ago I was in a Bridgetown shop,and overheard a salesman trying to sell the manager some goods. The manager asked him ” Do they have a Made in England , label?”.
My life has depended ,for many years on British Technology.
Colonel Buggy
Your comments remind me of an old building just down the road from the Garrison that is falling down and somewhat boarded up that had a weather beaten sign on it that said “Welfare Department” The sign certainly fit the building and produced a few good chuckles or should I say the building fit the sign. The sign has recently been removed. Numerous tourist stopped to take pictures of it.
Dompey the world revolves around british technology, from tv to telephone from the lawnmower to the toaster etc Trust French technology like Haiti
@ Dompey
In my day that was the Eye Hospital. It is on prime land and owned by government. Another example of the massive land bank the government owns and would not sell to reduce its mountain of debt. Or, alternatively, bring it back in to use.
Just look across the road to the old General Hospital.
why would the chinese even consider leaving their gorgeous hotels.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2588860/Inside-Michelle-Obamas-hotel-luxurious-8400-night-Westin-Hotel-presidential-suite-China.html
Well Well
You should not be posting this stuff.
Next thing you know, the Minister Sealy will be jetting off to Beijing to check out the Ministerial Suite and offering to build a new hotel in Barbados for Westin to manage for all those Chinese tourists who will be coming to Bim.
Apparently there is a property available at Paradise Beach that would be ideal for a Westin
Due Diligence……lol
Here is the competition….
Check out Groupon Getaways. 1000 places listed and none from Barbados.
http://www.groupon.com/getaways?utm_source=channel_getaways-deals&utm_medium=email&sid=e7545131-0353-4f44-bb52-4099746787da&division=fort-myers-cape-coral&user=b8182ddb8a0e83add30c8af57b65239b57351396f5afa019da1ea0e180765c89&date=20140325&s=header&c=link&d=see-all-Getaways&utm_campaign=e7545131-0353-4f44-bb52-4099746787da&#category/Mexico,+the+Caribbean,+&+Latin+America
Check the prices and the facilities offered. . This is the reality of what the competition is. The Chinese have computers as well.
Sith, interesting that the last Barbados property on offer with Groupon was Almond Beach with 7 nights, 2 adults and 2 children in a ‘super deluxe ocean room’ all inclusive from GBPounds 1,259 or around US$75 per person per night. November 2011.
Sith
You missed one – Turtle Beach discount 42% at
https://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-turtle-beach-premium-all-inclusive-resort-1
DD, Interesting. I missed the Elegant one. If Groupon is extracting the normal 50 per cent commision that means the hotel is getting US$230 per room (two persons) for dates during the peak winter period and if I read that correctly even Easter dates.
Compete with this.
http://www.justluxe.com/travel/spa/feature-1905570.php
Gorgeous hotels and islands.
I’ve always wanted to know what the interior of a five star hotel looks like – now I know! Better to lower the bar. Look to North America and bring in those American “Spring Break” students.
David, I really would like to share your optimism, but lets look at the facts.
2013 recorded the lowest long stay visitor arivals for 11 years.
Compare 2013 – 508,520 with 2007 -572,937.
January 2014 showed a small increase, the first for 21 consecutive months but recorded the second lowest arrivals for that month in TEN years.
There is a long, long way to recovery yet.
I will wait on the final March2014 figures before commented on this month.
@Adrian
The bigger point is that the earlier indicator for 2014 supports a bottoming out, ot is about sustainment now.
David,
I sincerely hope you are right, but things will have to change to ensure that.
@David,
Hoteliers will be getting same concessions as Sandals. Better late than never.
Question….. How many Hotel rooms existed in 2007,how many in 2013 and how many in 2014?
This would help me to “rationalize the numbers below.
From Adrian Loveridge “Compare 2013 – 508,520 with 2007 -572,937”
Here is some potential. Canadians fed up with winter in spring.Come on BTA. A little warm advertising. Please pretty please.
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/canada/ontario/toronto
Hants,
surely the question that should be asked is that with less hotel rooms has it increased the average occupancy of each remaining hotel? Sandy Lane, one of our most successful hotels boasted an annual occupancy last year of 64 per cent.
@Hants
Room stock may have decreased. Many hotels have been converted to condos.
Two female tourists attacked
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/two-female-tourists-attacked/
Wonderful, attacked in broad daylight , hear that….. that was the sound of tourism dollars evaporating someone knows who this is, Barbadians have to stand up for Barbados talk and have this idiot arrested .I probably have more incidents in my town daily but I am not dependant on tourism. This has to stop, or no one will come there unless it is to a gated hotel and never leave the resort
Police chased the assailant … And you believe that. They just happened to be on the scene at the time … I was actually present when a crime took place and the Police happened to be within a minute of the location. They arrived in time to see the three guys trotting (not running) off … and they stood and chatted among each other. Frankly with their grade of pay I do NOT blame them.
Incidents of desperate crime will be more prevalent, make no mistake about it. In Trinidad a court case is being heard about a number of men who kidnapped a CEO shot her at close range, carved her body up and shoved the parts into plastic bags, while still demanding a ransom.
This is not a God thing .. this is the result of faulty Governmental policies, ineffective institutions of learning, and a societal mandate that forces people to compete with each other using what ever tools and skills that they possess.
@ baffy
Men like you does talk it real not the lotta airy fairy talk that the ACs and the rest of these peace and quiet people like to spout about Bim.
I does wonder where they could be living in Bulbados when dem talking bout how peaceful this country is
We are becoming jes like Lavintile and dem Trivoli Gardens in Jam town with every passing day and not a man Jack seems to be able to do anything about it
@adrian
if you want to check out a real 5 star hotel check out the Burj al arabi. suite around 50,000/night and always full. The other members of the group are in the same price range. You see, adrian, there are a very large number af very rich people in the world who have enough money, how is it that your managerial skills can’t attract any of them.Don’t blame govt the bta or the bhta.