Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has claimed that it will become the first destination in the world to offer points when they launch their Maldives Border Miles campaign on 1st December 2020. An archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 natural atolls spanning roughly 115 square miles, is the smallest Asian country by land
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Just over two months ago (10th August), I questioned the wisdom of granting four airlines either new to Barbados or restoring previous services, permission to operate inter-Caribbean routes, presumably to help soak up any loss created by the failure of LIAT (1974) Ltd. What was even more surprising is that all four carriers responded positively to the invitation before the
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Despite all the current challenges, according to news agency Reuters, San Francisco based home sharing giant, Airbnb, is scheduled to launch an Initial Public Offering (IPO) possibly in this December. Pundits have widely speculated that it could achieve a company valuation of more than a mind boggling US$30 billion, citing the justification was to take ‘advantage of the unexpected sharp
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Last week the global communications agency, Finn Partners, released a fascinating, well researched and insightful report, entitled Domestic Tourism-Recovery Starts at Home, which highlights 25 of the world’s most innovative and creative campaigns that show how domestic tourism is helping destinations recover until international travel substantially returns. In their words ‘As travel restrictions around the world remain in flux, the
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Interesting to see that Jamaica recently launched another major tourism initiative branded ‘Rediscover Jamaica’. They clearly feel, as another largely tourism dependent nation, that there still remains a significantly large enough employed or financially independent section of the population to validate such a programme. Speaking at the official launch, Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett urged persons to take
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Just how important will pricing be in the recovery of tourism to Barbados? What prompted this question came about after scanning through holiday package offerings that are currently available and advertised in our principal markets. Standing out was an offer from a major British tour operator, highlighted by a company called Holiday Pirates, which included return British Airways economy class
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Mounting pressure is being brought by airlines and the United Kingdom travel trade onto the British Government to suspend, lower the rate or eliminate the Air Passenger Duty (APD), often referred to as ‘the highest rate of tax in the world on air passengers’. A statement from the UK Treasury has confirmed that a consultation on aviation tax reform would
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The decision made by Virgin Atlantic to re-position their Barbados flights to Heathrow from Gatwick and the recent announcement by British Airways that they will restore a daily flight from London’s first airport from 17th October is a very positive move towards any form of tourism arrival normality from the United Kingdom to our shores, in more ways than one.
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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the British Government’s Eat Out to Help Out promotion that initially was being offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3rd through to the 31st August. Almost a week before ‘last orders’ under the offer is due to expire, over 64 million meals have already been served at more than 50,000 restaurants,
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This week’s column marks a personal milestone, 520 weekly or ten years submissions amounting to around 260,000 words and entirely dedicated to a single subject, tourism. The objective was never to suggest that there is any one particular ‘holy grail’ solution to the challenges that continually face the industry, either in good times, let alone the unprecedented demanding current period,
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By the end of this month the British Government will have a somewhat more accurate idea of just how successful their Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been in sustaining businesses and protecting employment. From 3rd until 31st August on every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (traditionally the quieter dining days), Brits can get a 50 per cent discount, up
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It is very encouraging to witness a bevy of regional carriers that have already announced or plan to operate or extend flights to and from Barbados including Inter-Caribbean Airlines, Air Antilles, Caribbean Airlines and One Caribbean among others. Sadly though, not all of them have seemingly promoted the routes, times and fares in sufficient time to ensure there is a
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During the last 31 years whilst residing on Barbados and an overall total of 50 years since actively promoting the destination, I have witnessed many Ministers of Tourism come and go. Many, far more informed persons, will judge their individual contribution to the overall betterment of the industry and any lasting legacy they personally have left. I sincerely wish the
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Like I would imagine, along with thousands of other small businesses we have spent the last four months trying to find creative ways of meeting our financial obligations, without any source of earned income. Where possible we have deferred actual payments to essential services by using credit cards, but there eventually remains a day of reckoning Our bank has ceased
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While a handful of hotels on Barbados have been very proactive in reaching out to locals and residents for Staycation options at attractive rates, despite some recent discussion, there appears no national initiative driving this important tactic to help the path of tourism recovery. Perhaps equally discouraging is that our banks and financial institutions seem to be unaware of the
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We are already half way through what will result in many cases, both locally and around the world as one, if not the most difficult years in living memory. Frankly I have been disappointed that we have not witnessed more creative thinking and action among the wealth of tourism professionals, who reside and derive their main income from the sector
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With cruises slated to return to the Caribbean from November, after what must be perceived as one of the biggest public relations catastrophes in the history of tourism, is there any way that we, here on Barbados or throughout the region, can gain a far more equitable share of the past profits and revenues this sector has generated in years
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As the covid-19 outbreak begins to subside and countries start to reopen, the big questions for hoteliers on island destinations are: How will my clients get to the destination? Which airlines will survive and continue to fly and under what conditions? News reports state that clients in major countries no longer trust travel agents/tour operators to book their holidays
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