est. 2007

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Cuba is on the Move!

Submitted by Andrew Nehaul Since the defrosting of the political relation between the USA and Cuba some months ago, things on the tourism side are heating up. This winter, the hotels and ancillary services have increased their prices by more than 47%. […]What is more remarkable is that the prices are now quoted in USD…

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Submitted by Andrew Nehaul
Richard Sealy - Minister of Tourism
Richard Sealy – Minister of Tourism

Since the defrosting of the political relation between the USA and Cuba some months ago, things on the tourism side are heating up. This winter, the hotels and ancillary services have increased their prices by more than 47%. […]What is more remarkable is that the prices are now quoted in USD – no more EURO! Although it is still not possible to have a USD bank account in Cuba, the tourism leaders are not wasting any time. They know that changes are coming and they are getting ready.

The infrastructure is still in tatters and will need a lot of work but Cuba has many airports scattered around the island that can accommodate large wide body aircraft so they see little hindrance to new hotels being built in their spectacular archipelagos like Caya Coco , Caya Largo or areas like Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Holguin etc. The people who will be most affected by the price increases are probably the Canadians as they have large winter programs to Cuba which are price sensitive.

What can Barbados do?
Barbados Tourism experts seem not to realize or understand that visitors to the Caribbean in winter want SUN and WARMTH! Their countries are freezing cold and because of its location, Barbados is the perfect destination. With a temperature of 30-32 C, a constant refreshing breeze and low humidity we have what winter visitors are seeking.

Between November and the end of January, the temperature in Bermuda, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands etc can be chilly and cold. I have been in Nassau in January where there was no one on the beach as it was so cold. Even Santo Domingo at Christmas can be 19 – 20 C We are 10 degrees warmer and should shout this from the roof tops!

So, lets get cracking and saturate the social media, in the marketplaces and target those between 32-65 years and stress our weather. In particular the temperature, hours of sunshine, warmth of the island as well as its people.

13 responses to “Cuba is on the Move!”

  1. Violet C Beckles Avatar
    Violet C Beckles

    At this point any thing have to be cheaper than Barbados, Lets see if they will drop some of the prices to compete if need be,When you look for Whites to keep you afloat , at any time they can pull the rug from under you. We need to find other thing to look to export beside our people ,People who looking to save money Barbados will not be first on their list.Wait till JET BLUE flies to Guyana , we still waiting on SVG over priced airport to come on line .

  2. David Avatar
    David

    There is the view that the opening up of Cuba will have desired knock on benefits for Barbados and the Caribbean.

  3. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    The benefits you are talking about is people wont be trying to sneak
    into Barbados and suing you when they cant get in .Cuba is closer and the flight will cost less.

  4. Anthony Davis Avatar
    Anthony Davis

    When Mr. Obama had talks with Mr. Castro, our Minister of Tourism stated: “I’m not worried about Cuba coming back onto the market because those tourists who come to Barbados are not the type who go to Cuba, and it could have a knock on benefit for Barbados” Pray tell me, what does any tourist look at before booking his/her holiday? is is not the rates in the country which he/she is looking at going to? If Cuba’s rates are lower, won’t it stand to reason that they would opt to go there? On top of that, Cuba has Heritage tourism, and Wildlife tourism. Many tourists are looking not only for sun, sea and sand, but somewhere where they can observe wildlife, and visit heritage sites. Cuba has a great diversity of wildlife, and many heritage sites. Add to that the price of the flight from the USA/Canada, it is understandable that, in this day and age, many people will choose to go to Cuba.

  5. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Mr Anthony Davis

    What you have leveled at the Honourable “Uncle Lookup” Sealy is derogatory and offensive.

    Are you saying that One of the “Parti Ovah Heah Crew” otherwise known as the “How can we Teif mo’ of de Bilateral Aid or Tax Payers Money is wrong in his understanding of the market that people would leave the United States market to come to a cuntry where our food is 7 times the cost of US food, the hotels that are rated 5 star, but are really 1 star motels charge 7 times the accommodation costs, a place where you are 7 times more likely to get shoot or rob while you are driving around de 7 by 7 island and where de minister of Finants do not know where to put a decimal point when a 7 is involved?

    Man you like you want 7 lashes wid a bull pistle fuh each one of de 7 years dat dem was in power or you deserve to be cast into the wilderness wid dem for the 70 and 7 years dat dem gine be out of power!!

    I have left a video dat me grandson send for me 7 minutes ago for your viewing pleasure

    https://youtu.be/U087nferwpw

  6. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Instead of worrying about Cuba why not find ways to make Barbados a much better destination than it currently is.

    At the very least clean up and spruce Bridgetown, Holetown and Speightstown.

    Make your No. 1 industry the best it can be.

    Keep the streets and beaches clean and treat tourists as PAYING CUSTOMERS.

  7. SuckaBubby Avatar
    SuckaBubby

    It’s useless to worry about or directly try to compete with Cuban tourism.Bajan tourism is dead or comatose and should be demoted to the #3 industry behind Agriculture and Light Manufacturing.What we should do is try to gain technical expertise by educational non-governmental expeditions to Cuba.After all, if the USA endorses Cuba from now on then we should use that credential to our benefit.

  8. Kofi Cuppe Avatar
    Kofi Cuppe

    @sucks

    You is foget we genius Tea, who will make it all good wid he 10 point plan an he knowledge that the main mission of the United Nations is to make the whole world homosexual.

    https://barbadosunderground.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/barbados-at-the-crossroads/comment-page-3/

    HeaH?!?!

  9. Violet C Beckles Avatar
    Violet C Beckles

    @Kofi Cuppe October 14, 2015 at 3:52 PM # THE same people said that the World population must be reduced by 1,000,000,000 People , Being gay, homosexual cuts the birth rate,They Kill some and prevent births of others.

  10. NorthernProwler Avatar
    NorthernProwler

    I had the privilege of going to Havana in 2001, and would return many times later in that decade. I supplied them from a Canadian location with many products during their hotel building era. No question they targeted the “1 week” tourist in the “all inclusive” atmosphere; generally the most price sensitive traveler. But watch out. Cuba’s climate is NOT Nassau. And with the USA opening up, dollars are flowing into Cuba. And they can run first rate hotels. The Melia in Havana was a first class haven, before Melia began operating all over the island.
    The possibility of Cuba having several top class hotels is very likely. And it is an amazingly self sufficient economy, born of the years in isolation from other trading partners.
    Its development can occur along any path, which is certainly not assured. But it can be a kick-ass competitor in tourism.

  11. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Northern Prowler

    De ole man like to talk to peeple who “been dere and done dat” and isn’t talking cause dem gots a mouf like we Minister uh Tourism Richard “I does See Spirits above you head” Sealy.

    You is am an who kin tell peeple dat Cuba and Old Havana is a beauty to behold and really look like dis!

    http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow/photos2/ta-0356-15ea-d379/old-havana-havana-cuba+13211107402-tpfil02aw-30860.jpg

    But then of course we have the opinion of our current Tourism Minister El Hefe Sealy who says that “Cuba is no competition for Barbados”

    Do you know our Tourism Minister Northern Prowler?

    You can see a picture of him here

    http://i.imgur.com/sC4ftyC.png

    He is participating in the general pass-time that all of the DLP Ministers participate in “Parti Ovha Heah…” a euphemism for “let us see what we can teif and line our pockets with while our country dies” In your cuntry you would politely say “Nero fiddled while Rome burned…”

  12. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Meanwhile the BWA prepares for the competition by taking us into the future with their new “Standpipe on a Tank” Programme. I wonder who was awarded this income stream to supply and install the tanks? Nothing like progress, is there. Not a standpipe in sight in the first world country.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    Cuba here comes Barbados!

    http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/eight-barbadian-companies-heading-cuba

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