Tourism on the upswing

Article by RACHELLE AGARD

WITH the official start of the tourism season just days away, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) anticipates the industry will continue to expand in 2020, despite the implications of Brexit and the US/China trade war.

That was revealed by Senator Rudy Grant, chief executive officer of the BHTA, during their fourth quarterly general meeting at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

“The STR Report indicates that the occupancy for January to September 2019, increased by 5.1 per cent when compared to the same period for 2018. This was nominal movement in the average daily rate (ADR) of 0.9 per cent.

“While we anticipate expansion in 2020, we cannot, however, be complacent, and we must be determined to work even harder. The uncertainty of Brexit looms over us in a market which presently is our major source market. The US/China trade war represents a threat to the global economy which could have serious consequences for small developing states like Barbados,” he said.(RA)

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