The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is continuing its strategic efforts to elevate Barbados’ international profile by actively promoting the island’s diverse tourism offerings at leading global tradeshows and industry events.
As part of its annual outreach initiative, the BHTA – working alongside the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) and key public and private sector partners recently represented the island at two major global gatherings: TEAMS USA and IMEX America.
BHTA Chief Executive Officer Ryan Forde described Barbados’ participation at both events as a resounding success, emphasizing the vital role of sports tourism and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) market in driving global travel and economic growth.
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He noted that sports tourism now accounts for roughly 10 per cent of global travel, while the MICE sector contributes over US$1 trillion annually through its wide-reaching impact across industries.
“Since hosting the World Cup and major group business in June over the past two years, what was traditionally our softest month has now become a solid performer for arrivals,” Forde explained. “Barbados is well positioned for continued growth across these sectors. The next step is to collectively target the remaining slower summer months by marketing the island’s offerings and ensuring that stakeholders enhance service quality, product development, and partnership building to maximise returns.”
Forde added that attending international tradeshows and roadshows remains a cornerstone of Barbados’ tourism strategy, helping the BHTA and its partners build relationships, explore new opportunities, and plan effectively for long-term sustainable growth.
“So far in 2025, the BHTA has represented Barbados at ITB Berlin, WTM Latin America, Connect Barbados, and CHTA Marketplace, among others,” he said. “At TEAMS alone, we engaged with more than 40 international sports event organisers and meeting planners to explore bringing their events to our shores.”
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The CEO noted a surge in interest across a variety of sports, including dance, cheerleading, water polo, golf, futsal, beach soccer, hockey, and even newer additions like dodgeball and pillow fighting. Barbados has also attracted discussions around hosting youth, corporate, and national team training camps, further reinforcing its reputation as a destination for sports, business, and leisure.
BHTA Special Projects Manager Tessalee Moore highlighted the success of IMEX America, the largest trade show in the United States dedicated to the MICE industry. The event provided a valuable platform for Barbados to engage with global professionals such as event planners, conference organisers, and corporate travel managers.
“At IMEX, our focus was on attracting group business, incentive travel, and corporate events to the island,” Moore said. “The demand for incentive travel to Barbados continues to grow year on year. By showcasing our world-class facilities, unique experiences, and business-friendly infrastructure, we aim to position Barbados as the Caribbean’s premier destination for meetings and incentive travel.”
Through these international efforts, the BHTA continues to drive Barbados’ strategic expansion in global tourism markets, ensuring the island remains competitive, visible, and vibrant across every corner of the travel industry.
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