Tourism officials have turned their attention to some of Barbados’ leading attractions as efforts continue to revive the sector.
Senior Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) representatives have revealed that following a special tourism attraction audit, “a significant amount of funds” is being spent to restore and development key attractions, many of them historic.
TDC chairman Anthony King reported that the organisation had “contracted a product development consultant to ensure that the funds were appropriately distributed and applied as warranted”.
Chairman of TDC’s project assessment committee Mark Thompson, said “a significant percentage of this financial year’s funding was directed towards sports tourism activities which accounted for almost 25 per cent of the funds committed, however the vast majority of funds went towards attraction development (39 per cent).
“Given the current economic climate, it was of immense importance to focus on upgrading and keeping current the appearance of many of our attractions included in the Tourism Attraction Audit Phase 2. The audit commissioned by the TDC and administered by the [Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association] last year, led to the execution of the scope of works carried out and monitored by Sharon Banfield-Bovell contracted as our product development consultant,” Thompson said.
Attractions on which work was carried out included Flower Forest Botanical Gardens, Bath Beach, Pico Teneriffe, Sunbury Great House and Plantation, St John Parish Church, Codrington College, Farley Hill National Park, Medford Craft World, Chalky Mount Potters, Andromeda Gardens, Welchman Hall Gully, and Gun Hill Signal Station.
“Nearly $200 000 in funding was allocated to address a number of issues including directional and interpretive signage, pathway, parking area, footpath, handrail, bridge,and ramp renovations; and the purchase of pumps, plants, benches, garbage bins, ground lights and so on. Additionally, the consultant was also engaged to work with the Barbados National Trust on developing a strategic marketing plan for some of their properties,” he said.
King also said the TDC had “started to offer some level of consultant support to a few select projects” and that the organisaiton was “collecting a listing of potential consultants specialising in the areas of project management, event planning and so on, with the view of creating a data base for future reference”.