We in Barbados are desperate to get our economy going again, and who could criticise the Mia Mottley administration for doing all in its power to return some life to our country that is wrestling with four consecutive quarters of double-digit declines.The international cruise sector is champing at the bit to return to the seas after suffering billions of dollars in pandemic losses. And given the major humanitarian role that Barbados played last year, in providing vital air and port access to thousands of cruise passengers and crew, we are expecting the sector will show Barbados some significant goodwill, in return.With 121 million Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 36 million Britons, receiving at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, we are certainly hedging our bets that we will benefit from that pent up demand for travel and leisure.
‘Global’ candidates among applicants for BTMI top spot
Article by May 15, 2021
The search for a new Chief Executive Officer at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) has begun and the response has been overwhelming.
Word of this has come from Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins, who gave the assurance that the crème de la crème of the applicants will be selected, from prospective candidates from the global search.
She said the hunt for a new BTMI boss came at a time when the marketing agency and the entire country were “challenged” due to the lack of a vibrant global travel and tourism industry.
Multiple flights from major carriers affected by closure of GAIA
Article by April 10, 2021
Authorities are reporting that eight flights from major carriers have been affected by the closure of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) as a result of volcanic activity in St Vincent.
However, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins told members of the media during a press conference this afternoon that while flights flying in and out of Barbados have been affected, their load capacities are still quite low.
“We don’t have the numbers of persons filling the seats on the planes but we do have the planes flying since we would have done consolidation of flights since earlier in the year,” Cummins said.
Airport deputy CEO quits
Article by April 8, 2021
The deputy head of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Terry Layne has quit his post to take up new duties at the catering company that serves the airport, in yet another high-profile departure of a public official at the helm of tourism.
Layne, whose resignation as deputy chief executive officer takes effect at the end of May, is to move to GCG Catering, the Goddard Enterprises flight kitchen subsidiary that serves 24 locations across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Layne will be joining a firm of 3,000 employees that produces 23 million meals per year servicing more than 75 per cent of the world’s leading airlines and an extensive portfolio of 140 industrial clients.