Are we any closer to establishing a one-stop-shop for tourism investment? As someone who has been intimately involved with tourism on Barbados, after 30 years, we still seem far from simplifying the process of encouraging both locals and foreigners to invest in the sector. For a country that is so dependent on tourism for economic survival, it seems an incredible
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The announcement that the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has signed an agreement with the Government of Guyana which will permit award winning Qatar Airways to operate any number of passenger and cargo flights between the two countries, is significant more than it first appears. It will also allow the airline to open an operation base in Guyana and fly to
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This weeks column comes from within the United Kingdom with the continued Brexit debacle hanging a massive question mark and uncertainty over the tourism industry. While the value of the Sterling against other major currencies has for decades been volatile, tour operators are left to second guess what a realistic exchange rate will be for the US$ and Euro next
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My wife and I recently spent a short break at The Crane Resort and Residences to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. While we have both known the owners for over three decades and visited the property many times, it was the first time we had stayed overnight or longer and as someone who knows how challenging the hospitality business can
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The announcement that one of our neighbouring Caribbean islands is shortly going to implement a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is an interesting development. According to the UK Government website ‘a Tourism Satellite Account is a set of tables based around analyses of data, on both expenditure by tourists and on business sectors which serve tourists. A TSA provides a much
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During the 30 plus years my wife and I have lived on Barbados we have tried to take at least a couple of short breaks within the region or locally each year. Having chaired, and or sat, on various tourism committees over those three decades and being a frequent commentator on the sector, I have always felt obliged to know
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Despite the apparent impasse between the current Government and our banks and financial institutions on the subject of terms for foreign debt repayment, it would be nothing short of silly for the heads of those banks to perpetuate the ongoing impression that they are not still open for private sector tourism investment and fiscal support. When I broached this subject
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