Big concessions for hoteliers

GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED to give major concessions to the hotel sector, and its tourism investment agency will inform the industry about the process of legislation for such concessions in four weeks’ time.
This update came yesterday from chief executive officer of Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTI), Stuart Layne. He promised that the BTI would meet with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel regarding the legislation soon.
Those concessions, which are to be included in a coming amendment to the Tourism Development Act, will include duty-free concessions on food and beverages for the hotel sector, and flexibility in the industry to include additional items as the need arises to ensure competitiveness.
However, he added, the industry must meet international standards since it would be competing against destinations like the United Arab Emirates.