Barbados and Dominica have joined forces to create a stronger, more immersive tourism experience for visitors, unveiling a collaborative strategy that promotes both destinations through new multi-island travel packages.
The initiative—announced at a press conference at the Island Inn Hotel—builds on the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that enables full free movement between citizens of Barbados, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Belize. Officials from both countries said the partnership aims to deepen air and cultural links while positioning the islands as complementary travel experiences rather than competitors.
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Graham Clarke, Director in the Caribbean Office at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), explained that the collaboration will focus on co-branded travel promotions, coordinated media exchanges, enhanced airlift, and mutual support for each island’s major festivals. He noted growing interest among visitors in multi-destination itineraries.
“This partnership offers a unique proposition to the traveller who wants immersion, authenticity and value for money,” Clarke said. “There is already early evidence that travellers are considering multi-island package experiences.”
From Dominica’s side, Monelle Alexis, communications and public relations specialist at the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), emphasized that the partnership opens new opportunities for Barbadian creatives—especially during Mas Domnik 2026. She noted that regional collaborations are becoming more visible, pointing to Saint Lucia’s carnival float appearance in Dominica as an example Barbados could emulate.
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Dominica’s carnival season will host more than 30 events, and Alexis expects the new alliance to create avenues for musicians, designers, DJs and other cultural practitioners. She added that Dominica would welcome promotional activities for Crop Over 2026, though such initiatives would require BTMI coordination.
“… Collaboration and partnership, not competition, is what moves the region forward,” Alexis said.
Marketing executive at the DDA, Markerah George, highlighted Dominica’s wider tourism expansion, describing it as a transformation rooted in sustainability, innovation and cultural identity. She referenced the island’s signature new attraction—the 6.6-kilometre aerial tram connecting the Roseau Valley to the Boiling Lake—and the ongoing growth of boutique and eco-luxury accommodations, including riverfront resorts and nature-integrated stays.
Last year’s enhanced tourism strategy, George said, drove a 34 percent increase in arrivals and injected EC$25 million into the local economy, positively impacting vendors, costume makers, sound engineers, small businesses and hotels. “When culture thrives, communities grow,” she remarked.
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Both Alexis and George extended an open invitation to Barbadians to experience Mas Domnik 2026, one of the Caribbean’s oldest surviving carnivals. The celebration—deeply rooted in African resistance, Creole tradition and centuries-old masquerade—begins with a 4 a.m. J’ouvert on February 16, 2026.
With direct regional connections via Caribbean Airlines, Winair, InterCaribbean and other carriers, Alexis noted that “you can leave Barbados in the morning and reach carnival in the morning,” underscoring the ease of multi-island travel the partnership is designed to promote.
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