Push Ancestry Tourism

The Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA) is working collaboratively with the Department of Archives to bring more awareness to the topic of genealogy.

Word of this comes from the BTPA’s Branding & New Product Officer, Madge Dalrymple, as she explained that genealogy and Diaspora tourism are inextricably linked.
She was at the time addressing the 3rd Genealogy Marketplace, held at the Department of Archives, Lazaretto, Black Rock.

“For decades Barbadians and visitors especially, have expressed an interest in their ancestral heritage,” she pointed out.

“At one time tourism was just sun, sand and sea… the phrase genealogy tourism is new to most persons’ vocabulary. Historically, Barbados was the central port in the region during the Atlantic slave trade and that leads us to believe that the descendants of the slave trade had to pass through our island at some point. As a result, we believe there is so much to learn within our history as it relates to a person’s genealogy,” she further pointed out.

In light of this the BTPA is encouraging visitors to come and research their ancestral family line. While acknowledging that some of the cases may not go as far back as the slave trade, Dalrymple said they have seen scenarios where persons have sought information for third to forth generations back on who their parents and families were.

The first Genealogy Marketplace was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under their 4th Diaspora Conference in 2016. The second, was a special edition in celebration of Barbados’ 50th Anniversary of Independence, and yesterday’s event was part of the week of activities of the 20th Anniversary of the Barbados Carolinas Connection.

The BTPA official also revealed that this year, the Carolinas Connection Committee was formed in Barbados and comprised persons from the academic community, government and cultural entities – spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism.

“Two noted activities that would have taken place was an art show by the Barbados Investment & Development Corporation (BIDC) and an extravaganza billed ‘Barbados goes to Charleston’, where a number of entities travelled to Charleston to showcase Barbadian art, food and culture.

“A Twinning Agreement was signed by representatives on behalf of both the Government of Charleston and Barbados and articulated a number of objectives including the exchange of information which would assist in the promotion of the Heritage Tourism Product of Barbados and the Carolinas, with a strong emphasis on Speightstown and Charleston,” Dalrymple highlighted.
(TL)