GET CHURCHES INVOLVED
Tue, 04/12/2016 - 12:00am
There is a call to form synergies with churches to take faith-based tourism to the next level.
Marketing Director at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Robert Chase, believes this could take the form of initiatives to promote visits to churches, which would add to the product offering available in Barbados.
“This experience will also allow visitors to discover the history and cultural heritage of our island, through our historic places of worship which are tourism attractions, such as St. John’s Parish Church, St. Mary’s Church and the Nidhe Israel Synagogue.”
Addressing the launch of Gospelfest 2016, Chase revealed that the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA) is in the process of organising faith-based trails and graveyard trails on churches throughout the island. The first of these will commence at All Saints’ Anglican Church in St. Peter.
“As is evident, Barbados has a great deal to offer the faith-based visitor as there exists much scope for expanding the offering in this market.
“This niche tourism product should not be restricted to a particular time of the year when Gospelfest is celebrated, but can be a year-long programme which allows visitors to be involved in church retreats, conventions, concerts, historic tours and similar activities,” he stressed.
The Marketing Director also observed that Gospelfest continues to grow each year, exposing Barbadians and Caribbean people to the best national, regional and international gospel music and artistes. He went on to recall that throughout the years, the event witnessed performances from artistes such as Canton Jones, Tye Tribbett, Hezekiah Walker, Bobby Jones, Kirk Franklin, Stitchie, Papa San, Israel and New Breed, and Margarita Marshall.
“As a result, the festival has become more broad-based and has taken on a developmental focus. The organisers have been making significant contributions to developing the talents of local gospel artistes, and positively influencing the lives of our young people. The motivational and developmental sessions with these impressionable young people seek to instill positive attitudes, confidence and integrity, attributes that our children need as we increasingly hear negative things about our youth,” he said. (TL)