Barbados’ visitor arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by eight per cent up to the end of last month and a senior local tourism official is thanking British professionals for helping the island achieve this performance.
Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) chairman Adrian Elcock shared this news with the agents and other guests attending a recent reception held at Sea Breeze Hotel in Christ Church as part of the annual Gimme 5 And Fly programme.
Elcock thanked the 60 travel agents for selling Barbados at the event, which was hosted by Sea Breeze with assistance from other members of Ocean Hotels group, and in partnership with industry representatives from the BTA, British Airways (BA), the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association and Banks Breweries.
The travel agents, from the island’s main source market were welcomed to Barbados with an exciting and interactive “taste of Oistins” during a reception at the Sea Breeze Hotel in Christ Church.
Representing the major British travel agencies and tour operators, the agents enjoyed a range of activities as the Oistins experience, including a rum shop and several Barbadian delicacies, was recreated by staff of the property.
“Many of these agents have been selling Barbados but never visited the destination and so we wanted to welcome them with a real Barbadian experience. Oistins is an amazing community-tourism experience and they really enjoyed it,” said Patricia Affonso-Dass, the group general manager of Ocean Hotels.
Incorporated in the Oistins experience for the visiting agents was a variety of local entertainment – including performances from the tuk-band and mother sally, green-monkey characters, stilt-men and ballroom dancers. Soca artiste Mikey also wooed the crowd with his 2013 hit Enjoy Meh Life which was the theme of the party.
“It was a really good. I enjoyed it, Barbados is an interesting island with great diversity,” said Samatha Morrison of Travel 2 agency in Scotland.
The agents were brought to Barbados by BA. (SC/PR)
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