Barbados is undergoing significant hotel expansion with a combined investment of close to BDS$1.8 billion into six major projects as the island positions itself for a changing global tourism market.
This was disclosed by chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Javon Griffith, on Wednesday. He said those six projects were expected to create more than 4 000 permanent jobs and thousands of temporary construction jobs.
Projects
Griffith also highlighted other hotel projects due to come on stream in 2025, including the Royalton Chic and Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club on the west coast and the Indigo Hotel on the south coast. He said “several other projects are in the pipeline or have already broken ground”.
They include the new Beaches Barbados at Heywoods, St Peter, which is expected to break ground in late 2025 and open in the spring of 2026; Hyatt ZIVA on Lower Bay Street; a 180-room Odyssey Hotel on Maxwell Coast Road Christ Church and the Montage Hotel on the site of the former Paradise Beach Hotel at Black Rock.
The disclosures were a part of the bright picture Griffith painted of the tourism industry’s performance for last year, and projections for the future, which he said was already showing encouraging signs of both a good 2025 summer and 2025/26 winter.
Delivering his report at the BHTA’s annual general meeting at Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle, Griffith said: “Our tourism industry has continued its recovery and evolution amidst global economic volatility, shifting consumer preferences, talent shortages and the persistent need for sustainability and innovation.”
In updating the BHTA membership on a 2024 performance that saw record levels of visitor arrivals, Griffith said stay-over arrivals for the year were 704 340, just over ten per cent higher than the previous year, while the 816 400 cruise arrivals represented a 24 per cent increase over last year’s 655 806.
The improvement in numbers was attributed largely to the post-pandemic increase in airlift capacity, from major source areas, with key airlines expanding routes and services .
Economic growth
“These airlift expansions and routes restorations underscore the growing connectivity and accessibility of Barbados, crucial elements for sustaining our tourism momentum and economic growth.”
Griffith said the tourism sector was preparing for “another transformative year”.
Speaking from the BHTA perspective, he said his organisation’s “strategic focus” would be on areas such as “labour market stabilisation, sustainability, advocacy for digital and green incentives and tourism zoning and infrastructure mapping”. ( GC)
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