Barbados Tourism: What the Future Holds

In 2023, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. was a contributor to landmark report “Envisioning Tourism 2030” published by the Travel Foundation.

Said Chief Executive Officer of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Dr. Jens. Thraenhart:

“Barbados fully supports and embraces the “Envisioning Tourism 2030” report and stresses the importance of the vital document for the travel and tourism industry to have a roadmap for a path toward a sustainable and net zero future.”

“Decarbonization is critical, especially for small island developing states.”

Barbados was recognized as a winner in the Climate Change and Environment category at the Green Destinations Story Awards 2023 presented at ITB Berlin. The award was the result of work that commenced when Dr. Jens Thraenhart was first appointed as CEO of BTMI, leveraging his past expertise and extensive relationships.

Europe being an important market sensitive for sustainability and purposeful travel, has long promoted responsible experiences via mindfultravelbarbados.com.

The Director of Europe for BTMI, Ms. Anita Nightingale, collaborated with Dr. Thraenhart, as the organization had not had a sustainability department before his appointment. Together they developed a systematic strategy to showcase sustainability initiatives overall of the island aligned to the mandate of the Prime Minister and implemented in tourism.

Some of the future focus areas when it comes to sustainable tourism included working with partners such as:

• Sustainable Travel International on industry training and a carbon calculator
• Cornell University on climate resilience
• World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on One Planet biodiversity
• UNWTO and UNEP on single use plastic
• Green Destinations and GSTC (Global Sustainable Travel Council) on destination certification

Also looking to focus on food waste strategy, integration into events such as the Food and Rum Festival and training with hotels and restaurants has been developed in addition to the Bajan Treasures Collection.

The Bajan Collection

The overarching element that sets a country apart is its cultural offering. The things that can be seen, touched, and tasted all take part in becoming the things that remain with visitors for a long time. Barbados, though a tiny island, is full of engaging elements and experiences that make it a destination that many visitors return to time and time again.

“Many of the elements that define the Barbados experience lie in its communities. It is, therefore, incumbent on us as we develop our destination’s offering, to seek out these unique experiences, curate them, and allow them to be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible. In doing so, we must also set the standards that allow enjoyment in a sustainable manner and to the benefit of our citizens, visitors, economy, and country,” said Dr. Thraenhart.

For more information on travel to Barbados, go to visitbarbados.org, follow on Facebook, and via Twitter @Barbados.