Barbados will host the 41st edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace, May 9-11, 2023.   CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig announced that the influential trade association’s largest annual event, which brings together buyers and sellers of the region’s tourism products and services, will be staged in Barbados for the first time in the organization’s history.   “CHTA has a very strong relationship with both public and private sector stakeholders in Barbados, and as we position the region’s top earner for robust growth this year, we are delighted to lock arms with our Bajan partners to drive business to the Caribbean,” she stated.   Ian Gooding-Edghill, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, said the Barbados tourism industry was undergoing a major renaissance in the post-COVID environment, and the timing could not be better to welcome Caribbean Travel Marketplace to local soil.   “We are honored to host such a preeminent gathering of tourism stakeholders from around the world,” said Minister Gooding-Edghill, who believes the meeting aligns with Barbados’ value offerings, which appeal, among others, to the very important MICE market.   Caribbean Travel Marketplace 41 will build on the success of last fall’s 40th edition, which was held in Puerto Rico.   A highlight of the Puerto Rico meeting was the launch of the first Caribbean Travel Forum & Awards, the second edition of which will be held in Barbados on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, ahead of the official opening ceremony of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. The Forum will once again focus on the business of tourism, while business appointments will be held on Wednesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 11.   “Our private sector partners, together with the BTMI and the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, are keen to showcase Barbados’ exceptional product and experiences and we cannot wait to welcome you to our island home,” said Renée Coppin, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association.   Meanwhile, Madden-Greig noted that this year’s Marketplace will also provide unique access to the Eastern Caribbean for buyers and tour operators as the region places a strong focus on the revival of multi-destination travel. Marketplace will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. Registration details will be available soon.   For more information, visit www.chtamarketplace.com.

  Kayaking  

  In a tiny village on the outskirts of the capital Bridgetown, a quaint domicile shelters a little girl from the tropical sun while she lays in bed dreaming. This little girl with dreams bigger than anyone can fathom runs around the house and her neighbourhood with a hairbrush as her microphone singing Whitney Houston’s songs. Fast forward - It's approximately 15 years later, and now little girls, not only from her community and island home but from around the world, hold hair brushes in hand pretending to be her. Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Rihanna, is a global icon dominating the entertainment, cosmetic and fashion scenes. Her name is now a multibillion-dollar brand, and her rise to fame and fortune reads like a fairy tale, and as with all fairy tales, we have to start at the beginning.   Where It Started - Life In Barbados   Once upon a time… on February 20, 1988, on the Caribbean island of Barbados, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born. The eldest of three children, she grew up like any other girl from the island, running around, playing and hanging out with her two brothers at the beach. The small, close-knit neighbourhood where she grew kept her safe and allowed her to blossom under the influence of her mother (an accountant) and to a much lesser extent her father (a warehouse supervisor).     School life for Rihanna in Barbados was a good one. Charles F Broome Memorial Primary school is where she got her initial education then she went on to attend one of the most prestigious schools on the island, Combermere. Interestingly, while going to school at Combermere, she was an army cadet. The cadet program is a military program for kids in school. It was also while attending this school that her musical aspirations were materialising. In 2003 Rihanna, along with two other girls, formed a trio with ambitions to 'make it big' in the entertainment industry. As fate would have it, the trio landed an informal audition with American music producer, Evan Rogers while he was vacationing in Barbados. It was at that audition that the now-famous quote was coined. " The minute Rihanna walked into the room; it was like the other two girls didn't exist". Clearly, Rogers was impressed by Rihanna, which led to her travelling to record a series of demos. Over the next year, Rihanna travelled back and forth between the US and Barbados recording demos and sending them off to record labels.     Things Were About To Change   At age sixteen Rihanna and her mother made a decision, a challenging one for a mother of a teenage girl but for Rihanna it was easy. She emigrated to the United States of America and moved in with Rogers and his wife.  Rihanna is quoted as saying, "I wanted to do what I had to do, even if it meant moving to America".  That bold move to leave everything including friends, family, and the place she called home to pursue her dreams, paid off in January of 2005.  Rogers, dedicated to making Rihanna the star he believed her to be, was able to secure an audition with Jay Z who was the newly appointed president of Def Jam Records.  As the story goes, Rihanna sang for the Hip Hop legend and music mogul L.A Reid. She performed the demo version of 'Pon De Replay' along with two other songs. Both gentlemen were wowed not only by her vocal ability but by her commanding presence and dedication. So impressed was Reid that he told Jay - Z not to let her leave until “a deal was done” - They finished at 3 am, 12 hrs later.     The Rise To Stardom And Beyond   After that legendary meeting, the name Rihanna was about to be on everyone’s lips. She transitioned from the unknown island girl from Barbados to the girl everyone wanted to know about.     In August 2005, seven months after signing for Def Jam, her debut album was released - Music of the Sun. Prior to its release the single 'Pon De Replay' debuted and was an instant success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard singles chart, while the album peaked at number 10 on the album charts. With one hit song and an album in the bag, Rihanna and her team continued to work, and her second album ‘Girl Like Me’ was released. The second was even better than the first and two major hit singles, 'Unfaithful' and 'SOS'. ‘SOS’ subsequently became her first number one record and Rihanna had arrived! From there she released one album each year until 2016.     Along the way, she became the 1st Barbadian to win a Grammy award with her mega-hit 'Umbrella' in 2008.  By the end of 2016, she was one of the music industry's most successful artists and a global icon, selling more than 250 million records worldwide. Smashing records and winning awards and making history.  

• 9 Grammy Awards, 33 Nominations
• 12 Billboard Music Awards
• 13 American Music Awards
• 8 People's Choice Awards
• 2013 American Music 'Icon Award'
• Michael Jackson Vanguard Award
• 7 MTV Awards
• Guinness World Record for most digital sales- over 58 million
• NAACP President’s Award
• The only artist to have scored five #1 songs in a calendar year on the Dance Club Songs Chart.
• 31 Top 10 Hits on the Billboard Hot 100
• World's Richest Female Musician with a Net Worth of $600 Million by 2020
• Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Barbados
• In 2017 the location of her original residence was renamed Rihanna Drive.
• First Black Woman to Head a LVMH Fashion House
• Harvard University- Humanitarian of the Year, 2017

  Rihanna, The Philanthropist   "If we have been blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that it benefits others" The biblical words taken from the book of Luke aptly describe Rihanna's philanthropic mission.  In 2012 Rihanna launched her charity, The Clara Lionel Foundation.  Named in honour of her grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, the foundation's mission is to provide access to proper education and development of health, arts, and culture, as well as to contribute to emergency response programs around the world.  It also involves global advocacy with the goal of improving the quality of life for younger people.     The Foundation has grown tremendously since then, donating millions of dollars to various causes including the establishment of the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.  Also of note in her charitable endeavours is the Diamond Ball, an annual charitable event which attracts the who is who in the entertainment arena. In 2019 the Ball raised over five million dollars to support the work of her Clara Lionel Foundation.   Her Legacy   It is difficult to fathom that in the span of just a few years, Rihanna has not only accomplished and given so much, but her impact on the musical and entertainment landscape is almost legendary. However, it goes beyond those two realms.  Her dominance in the cosmetic and fashion industry has redefined beauty and the promotion of diversity.  Her brand, Fenty and her name Rihanna represent a social revolution that being different is ok.  She has not released an album since 2016, yet her iconic dominance is unmatched and demonstrates the power she holds and the depth of her legacy.     Nevertheless, Rihanna, the star, the beauty mogul, the wealthiest female musician in the world, is still the darling of her home country of Barbados. Home to her is a special place, and the Barbadian people have a special place in their hearts for her. No price tag can be placed on the global exposure Rihanna has afforded Barbados. The island has benefitted from tremendous exposure almost simultaneously with the rise of her stardom. Already a hot pot for the rich and famous it has notably become even more so, especially during the island's summer festival, Crop Over. Naturally, Rihanna tries to make it a must to return adorned in her costume to be a part of the festivities.   At 31 years old to say the sky's the limit for Rihanna is not enough. She has accomplished so much and impacted so many lives in such a short period of time, yet it seems like she has so much left to accomplish. Her story is one of hope and one that demonstrates dreams do come through. The little girl from Barbados who played in her neighbourhood of Westbury now has the street where she annoyed neighbours singing Whitney and Madonna’s songs named after her. It reads like a fairy tale, and the story is still to be continued...

Coming out of Covid, Jens sees Barbados' future is to create the framework, on top of its great beaches, to facilitate the local community and businesses to understand, buy-in, and build a sustainable 360 ecosystem, which by its own nature, bonds with the visitors.

 

Barbados Tourism Marketing Awarded the Most Supportive Tourist Board at Elegant Resorts’ Supplier Awards 2022

  Following a successful first day at World Travel Market London, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. were honoured to be awarded the most supportive tourist board by Elegant Resorts at their annual supplier awards.   Over 100 hoteliers, airline representatives and DMCs attended the awards ceremony which took place at The Savoy, London, on November 7^th. It was the first time it had taken place in person in two years. also honoured key Barbados luxury properties, including the O2 Beach Club, awarded the Best Newcomer 2022 at the ceremony, and Sandy Lane, nominated by Elegant Resorts for the Client Choice Award 2022.   Elegant Resorts are a key partner for Barbados Tourism. Their passionate team with over 30 years of experience make them a leader in luxury travel across the UK. Barbados is currently Elegant’s top-performing destination and, year-to-date bookings are trending over 9% up in terms of revenue, and 3% up in actual passenger numbers versus 2019. According to Elegant Resorts, there are various reasons why Barbados is popular with British tourists, including the island’s world-class immersive experiences, visitor safety, and an unrivalled culinary scene.   At the event, Elegant Resorts announced that their average selling price had gone through the roof, increasing from £15,000 to £22,000 this year. Travel agent bookings and sales through the operator’s members club, The Chairman’s Club, also averaged £35,000.   World Travel Market is one of the leading annual events for the international travel sector, hosted in the ExCel Centre, London. The Barbados delegation, led by Minister for Tourism and International Travel, the Hon. Ian Gooding-Edgehill attended WTM in London for three days of meetings with media, suppliers, and agents from all corners of the world.

  On Thursday, September 22nd, the Government of Barbados announced its changes to the travel entry protocols.   Effective midnight, Thursday September 22nd, 2022, Barbados have discontinued all COVID-19 related travel protocols. Therefore, there will be no testing requirements for entering Barbados whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated.   In addition, the wearing of masks generally will now be optional. Mask wearing only remains mandatory for persons working in and visiting healthcare facilities, nursing homes, hospitals and senior citizens' homes; persons travelling on public transportation; and for persons who are COVID-19 positive.   Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Sen. the Hon. Lisa Cummins stated that “This is the last step for us which reflects our position as fully open for business following the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to continuing to welcome visitors to our shores to experience all of the new and returning events slated for the rest of the year, and into early 2023.”.   For more information on Barbados’ travel protocols, visit www.barbadostravelprotocols.com.

The Government of Barbados announced the scrapping of remaining Covid-19 related entry protocols. Effective now, there will be no testing requirements for entering Barbados regardless of vaccination status. In addition, the wearing of masks will now be optional. Mask wearing only remains mandatory for persons working in and visiting healthcare facilities, and when travelling on public transportation Anyone Covid-19 positive must wear a mask. Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Lisa Cummins said: “This is the last step for us which reflects our position as fully open for business following the pandemic. We look forward to continuing to welcome visitors and returning events slated for the rest of the year.”

The Government of Barbados has announced a key change to its travel protocols. Effective May 25, 2022, fully-vaccinated travellers to Barbados will no longer have to take a Covid-19 test to enter the country. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said the change comes as over 70% of the eligible population in Barbados is fully vaccinated. She added that removing the entry test will have a positive impact for the country’s tourism sector, including speedier processing times at Grantley Adams International Airport. “We had a 90% decline in the number of visitors… in the last two years. Now we are significantly on our way back.” With the removal of the entry test, Barbados is confident that it will be well received by travellers in its source markets at a critical time. Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Senator the Hon. Lisa Cummins, spoke on the significance of the update to the travel protocols, commenting that “This signals that it is safe in Barbados, and we are in a position where we can comfortably accommodate many of the same measures travellers are experiencing at home,” Minister of Tourism, Lisa Cummins said. The change in protocols also states that masks will now only be mandatory indoors and on public transport. The changes announced are valid for vaccinated travellers only. Currently, unvaccinated travellers will still be required to present a negative Covid-19 test.

A week after ending its curfew, the Government of Barbados announced new updates to ease travellers’ entry process into the country. Travellers to Barbados can now use rapid antigen tests for entry, administered by a healthcare provider no more than one day prior to arrival in Barbados. Rapid antigen tests have joined the list of approved tests for entry in Barbados. Also accepted are PCR tests taken no more than three days prior to arrival in Barbados. In addition, Barbados in-transit passengers will not be required to test in order to complete transit through Barbados. Travellers will also see changes to the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) passenger experience. All paper forms previously distributed on board aircraft arriving in Barbados will be discontinued. In addition, travellers will once again pass through the more spacious main arrivals hall, instead of the temporary Gate 14-16 arrivals hall previously used to manage port health entry checks and testing throughout the pandemic.

The former British colony is set to become a republic on Nov. 30, the 55th anniversary of its independence from Britain.