Barbados’ tourism industry soared to new heights in 2024, smashing previous records and cementing the island’s status as a top travel destination.
Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Javon Griffith, shared the exciting news during the BHTA’s first quarterly media briefing of the year. He revealed that the island welcomed 704,340 stay-over visitors in 2024, with its three largest markets—the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and Canada—all surpassing their record-setting numbers from 2019.
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Strong Growth Across Key Markets
- The US market outperformed its previous record of 219,769 stay-over visitors.
- The UK exceeded its 226,999 visitor arrivals from 2019.
- Canada also outpaced its 81,577 arrivals from the same year.
Cruise tourism, another crucial pillar of Barbados’ visitor economy, experienced a 24% surge, with 816,400 cruise arrivals in 2024—leaping past the 655,806 recorded in 2023.
Expanding Air Travel & Future Growth
Griffith credited Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, along with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., for their efforts in boosting visitor numbers. He emphasized that the island continues to expand its air travel connections, making it even more accessible to international travelers.
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Looking ahead, he acknowledged expected seasonal reductions in European flight capacity as the winter season winds down but remained optimistic about upcoming developments. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are set to add three weekly flights from Heathrow, London, in April, while Aer Lingus will continue its Manchester-Barbados service through May.
Hotels Thriving & Exciting Developments on the Horizon
The positive momentum extends to the island’s accommodation sector, with occupancy rates remaining strong:
- As of February 15, 2025, the average hotel occupancy rate stood at 81%, with many properties boasting occupancy levels in the high 90s.
- Several new luxury hotels are in the pipeline, including Pendry Hotel, Royalton Chic, and Hyatt ZIVA, while Blue Monkey Hotel and Hotel Indigo are set to open their doors later this year.
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A Promising Year Ahead
Barbados’ tourism sector is set for an exciting 2025, with summer bookings already gaining momentum. The highly anticipated We Gatherin’ celebrations, an expected surge in diaspora visitors during Crop Over, and the West Indies vs. Australia Test Match at Kensington Oval in June are all expected to drive visitor numbers even higher.
With record-breaking arrivals, expanding airlift, and new hotel developments, the outlook for Barbados’ tourism industry remains incredibly bright.
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