Barbados saw its highest ever number of long-stay arrivals last year following a growth of 13.7% to 591,892.
The UK remained the island’s largest market, contributing 37% of business with a year on year increase of 14.1%. Arrivals were boosted by Thomas Cook’s new service from Glasgow.
The US market, which represents a quarter of all visitors to Barbados, grew by 25%.
Minster of tourism Richard Sealy said a new all-inclusive Sandals Barbados and a new Sugar Bay all-inclusive resort added 380 more rooms to the island’s inventory during the year and contributed ‘in a great way’ to the increase in new long stay arrivals.
The Sandals property will add 220 more rooms in 2016, while a new Beaches resort will be built at the site of the Almond Beach Resort later this year.
