Barbados’ tourism industry has reached a new milestone in 2025, recording 503,000 stayover visitors between January and August — a 5.43% increase compared to the same period last year. For the first time in the island’s tourism history, the United States has overtaken the United Kingdom as Barbados’ leading source market. Speaking on the final day of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State...
Barbados’ Minister of Tourism, Ian Gooding-Edghill, has reaffirmed the vital role of tourism in preserving both peace and identity across the Caribbean. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2025 on October 1, his remarks carried added weight against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions in the southern Caribbean. Recent disputes involving...
China has announced it will no longer seek special and differential treatment (SDT) at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a move that could open the door for long-awaited global trade reforms—particularly benefiting small island developing states like Barbados. The announcement came from Chinese Premier Li Qiang in New York during the High-Level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative. The...
European travelers now have an easier way to explore the Caribbean, thanks to a newly signed codeshare agreement between Air Caraïbes and Caribbean Airlines. The partnership links Paris-Orly with a wide network of Caribbean destinations via seamless connections in Martinique and Guadeloupe. With the new arrangement, passengers departing Paris can check in once, collect all boarding passes upfront, and...
Nikki Beach, the iconic global lifestyle and hospitality brand, is making its debut in the Caribbean real estate market with the launch of Nikki Beach Residences Antigua, the brand’s first residential resort in the Western Hemisphere. The landmark development features 127 condominium residences and seven private villas, each offering direct access to the full Nikki Beach experience. Homeowners will...
Compass, one of the leading U.S. real-estate brokerages, has announced its agreement to acquire rival Anywhere Real Estate for $1.6 billion in an all-stock deal, signaling a new wave of consolidation in the residential brokerage industry. The merger would combine two of the country’s largest brokerages, creating an enterprise valued at approximately $10 billion, including debt. Compass, with roughly...
Barbados welcomed more than $120 billion in direct Canadian investment last year, ranking it as the fourth-largest destination worldwide for Canadian capital from both businesses and individuals. Despite these long-standing ties, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados, Brenda Wills, highlighted significant potential for further growth, particularly in light of evolving global trade dynamics. She...
This October, Barbados will become the dynamic bridge between in-person and virtual global networking as the Hybrid Global Business Week Conference 2025 launches at the elegant Wyndham Grand Barbados – Sam Lord’s Castle Resort from October 23 to 24, 2025. Bridging Global Business in a Hybrid World Presented by BIBA – The Association for Global Business, this two-day summit embraces the theme:...
Barbados is set to shine this October as the Sportingclass Industry Invitational 2025 reaches its spectacular finale at Apes Hill Golf & Country Club from October 13 to 17, 2025. What began as a series of elite industry qualifiers in the UK—bringing together professionals from property, IT, and hospitality—now culminates on one of the most stunning golf courses in the Caribbean. Where Golf...
Barbados is moving forward with plans to revitalize its historic West Indian Sea Island Cotton industry through a new partnership with a foreign private investor — a deal set to significantly boost export earnings and restore global recognition for the island’s premium cotton. A Major Step for Exports Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir confirmed that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the...