The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is forecasting a milestone weekend for Grantley Adams International Airport, marking the busiest period of the winter season so far.
Speaking at the association’s final quarterly general meeting on Tuesday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Chairman Javon Griffith revealed that Barbados is set to receive over 13 international flights from key source markets this weekend.
Of particular note, five of these flights will depart from the New York area, signaling the growing importance of the U.S. market to Barbadian tourism. For the first time since 1994, the United States has overtaken the United Kingdom as the island’s leading source of visitors.
View Investment Properties for Sale in Barbados
Griffith stated, “The industry has continued to achieve significant milestones, with impressive gains in visitor arrivals and overall industry growth. The island has recorded month-on-month growth every month this year, and this is expected to continue. This Saturday, we anticipate the single busiest day of the winter season at Grantley Adams International Airport. From the United States alone, we will welcome six American Airlines flights, three JetBlue Airways flights, one United Airlines flight, one Frontier Airlines flight, and two Delta Airlines flights, including their inaugural New York JFK to Bridgetown flight.”
This aviation milestone is accompanied by robust year-to-date performance. Data from the Barbados Statistical Service shows an 11% rise in international arrivals between January and September, with 509,673 stay-over visitors recorded compared to 451,491 during the same period in 2023.
View Investment Properties for Sale in Barbados
The U.S. market has been a standout performer, with American visitors increasing by 24%, from 128,794 to 176,614. Other markets have also posted strong growth. Canadian arrivals rose by 14%, from 54,258 to 63,228, while CARICOM arrivals increased by 6%, from 65,627 to 70,309.
“The industry has continued to achieve significant milestones, with impressive gains in visitor arrivals and overall industry growth,” Griffith reiterated. He added that the positive momentum is expected to extend into the new year, reinforcing Barbados’s status as a premier travel destination.
View all of our Properties for Sale in Barbados
