Barbados will officially be removed from the European Union’s list of high-risk third countries on August 5, paving the way for smoother financial transactions and improved business relations with European institutions. Attorney General Dale Marshall confirmed the development, noting that the relevant legislation was published in the EU’s Official Journal this week. “This move brings welcome...
Barbadians are spending over $1 billion annually on e-commerce, but 97% of that money is flowing out of the country to international giants like Amazon and Shein. For investors and entrepreneurs, this staggering gap presents a high-potential opportunity to build and scale local and regional e-commerce ventures in Barbados. According to George Connolly, digital strategist and council member of the...
Barbados is launching a major $185 million initiative aimed at transforming inner-city communities and upgrading healthcare facilities across the island. The dual-focus investment includes new housing infrastructure, climate-resilient upgrades, and long-overdue improvements to the polyclinic system. Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn, presented two related resolutions in the House of...
Barbados is undergoing a real estate renaissance and this time, it's Americans leading the charge. For the first time in over 30 years, U.S. buyers have overtaken the British as the largest group of property investors on the island. Between January and September last year, Barbados welcomed over 175,000 U.S. visitors - a record that not only boosted tourism but drove a 25% spike in luxury home sales....
Hilton is expanding its presence in the Caribbean with the launch of its newest hotel brand, Spark by Hilton, making its regional debut in Ponce, Puerto Rico. This marks the first Spark property in both the Caribbean and Latin America, signaling a new era for affordable yet high-quality stays in the region. A New Kind of Stay in Ponce Set to open by the end of 2025, Spark by Hilton Ponce will be...
The Caribbean Private Sector Organization (CPSO) has welcomed the decision by Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to allow full free movement of people by October 1, 2025. This move follows the rules set by the CARICOM Treaty and the Enhanced Cooperation Protocol. The CPSO is now encouraging all other CARICOM countries to do the same by December 31, 2025. At the 49th...
The Caribbean’s top tourism summit is heading back to Bridgetown. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced that the 2025 State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) will be held in Barbados from September 30 to October 3 at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Widely considered the most influential platform for shaping the region’s tourism future, SOTIC 2025 will unite a diverse group of...
Imagine a rooftop bar suspended over the ocean, the world’s largest pool at sea, and a glass-domed AquaTheater where aerialists, acrobats, and DJs come together beneath the stars. Welcome aboard Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon Class cruise ship—and a revolutionary leap forward in vacation experiences. After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland,...
Barbados is poised to become the first country to pilot a new regional debt-for-resilience facility, a groundbreaking financial model designed to redirect costly debt repayments toward sustainable development and social investment. This innovative mechanism—supported by four major multilateral development banks—will allow participating Caribbean nations to swap expensive government bonds for...
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has announced the highly anticipated return of two of its signature events — the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) and Taste of the Caribbean — both set to take place November 16–18, 2025, at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort. These flagship events will unite tourism and hospitality professionals,...