Barbados Delegation Shines at the World Travel Market in London

Thursday, Nov 09, 2023 0

A Barbados delegation, led by the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Hon Ian Gooding Edghill, showcased the best of Barbados at the prestigious World Travel Market in London. World Travel Market is one of the world’s leading and influential tourism and travel events.

Legends to Legacy

The event took place from November 6th to 8th, with a captivating pre-reception held at The Shard to engage and celebrate travel partners, agents, tour operators, and exhibitors.

Under the theme “Legends to Legacy,” this year’s booth design celebrated the rich culture, people, and the remarkable progress of Barbados’ tourism industry. The event featured the presence of West Indies cricket legends Joel Garner and Collis King, who graced the Barbados booth, providing a unique experience for attendees.

This year, 24 exhibitors, including five new additions: Apes Hill, Sotheby’s, Wyndham Grand Barbados: Sam Lord’s Castle, Young Estates, and Private Aircraft Services.

Throughout the event, guests had the opportunity to savour the flavours of Barbados through delectable food and cocktail samples prepared by Chef Marvin Applewhaite and mixologist Shane McClean.

Valued Partnership

During the World Travel Market, the Barbados team shared updates on the tourism industry’s ongoing recovery, detailing the upcoming winter season.

“We are strategically positioning Barbados as a competitive tourist destination. The results of those efforts have been fruitful as we have seen an increase in airlift. One of the pillars of our success has been the exceptional partnerships Barbados has cultivated with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. This increase in airlift exemplifies the demand for Barbados as a must-see destination,” stated the Minister.

Virgin Atlantic celebrated 25 years of direct service to Barbados, with a special presence by Sir Richard Branson. In 2024, British Airways, Barbados’ second longest-serving airline, will mark its Platinum Anniversary, 70 years of serving Barbados from London. ITC Travel Group, one of Barbados’ key travel partners, will be celebrating 50 years in 2024.

Increased Airlift

On the airlift front, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate year-round, daily-direct service to Barbados from London, Heathrow Airport. British Airways has expanded its service with five more flights per week for the 2023/2024 winter season, totalling 12 flights per week. Additionally, a new Dreamliner 787-10 will be deployed on the London to Barbados route for the summer of 2024, increasing capacity by approximately 10 percent.

Virgin Atlantic resumed a four times weekly service to Barbados from Manchester, which increased to five times per week from November 4th. Moreover, two additional flights per week from London, Heathrow to Barbados will be added between January 10th and March 29th.

Aer Lingus has also resumed its three times weekly winter non-stop schedule to Barbados from Manchester, extending the winter 2023/2024 season through to the end of May 2024, increasing capacity by 19.5%.

The upcoming Winter 2023/2024 season will see the introduction of a five times weekly Norse Airlines service to Barbados from London, Gatwick, adding approximately 33,516 seats to the Barbados route from the United Kingdom.

The increase in airlift exemplifies the strategic work the destination has been carrying out in an effort to fully recover Barbados’ tourism industry.

Awards and Accolades

Furthermore, Barbados proudly announced its recent accolades, including the title of ‘Best Winter Sun Destination’ at the Travel Bulletin Star Awards and ‘Favourite Caribbean Island’ at Ice Travel Group’s inaugural Destination Awards.

Barbados continues to be a top destination for UK travellers, the successful participation at the World Travel Market underscores its commitment to the global travel industry and the development of its tourism product.