Tourism still main economic driver

Tourism is still the main driver of the economy of this island.

This is according to the Acting CEO of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA), Marsha Alleyne who spoke with the media after the walk to commemorate Tourism Week 2018 yesterday at Heroes Square.

Therefore, it is up to every Barbadian to play their part, however big or small, in ensuring that this industry continues to prosper. “Well, the industry has been performing well. It is still the engine that sustains the economic viability of the nation and we have to ensure that we do all we can. Every single Barbadian has the opportunity to do all that they can to ensure that this industry is sustained, and not just sustained, but that it grows and gets better.”

She said that this is why a walk of this nature is so important because it allows them to recognize those workers in the tourism sector who give of their all to ensure that it remains sustainable.

“I think that it is very important because sometimes you forget the very people that carry this nation right now. The nation in terms of the economic stability of Barbados is right on the backs of the tourism workers and we wanted to pay them homage; that we celebrated them and that we ensured that all Barbadians understood that these people are important and viable to the tourism industry and tourism sector of Barbados.”

Alleyne said that when the BTPA first took over the Barbados Tourism and Maritime Week from the Ministry of Tourism, they had approximately 200 persons participating and this year they have grown to more than 1000 persons and this is only set to grow as they continue to celebrate the workers in the tourism industry.

“It can only grow from here as we spread the word, as we celebrate our tourism workers, as we recognize and tell them how valuable and employable they are to the industry that is growing more and more and more.”

Some of the organizations that were represented at the walk were the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Inc. the Barbados Port Inc., the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA), the Ministry of Tourism, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), the Portville Sugar Factory, the usual Bajan characters such as Mother Sally, things indigenous to Barbados such as snow cone carts and various local entertainers.