Why Become A Barbados Tourist?
"The State of Tourism in Barbados"

Barbados Tourist Enjoying The Rays You will soon officially be a Barbados tourist if you have finally decided to take your Barbados vacation.......and by now I hope you have! : ) .

Barbados is well known as a popular tourist destination in the Eastern Caribbean with its beautiful white sandy beaches delighting visitors for many years, as well as a wealth of sights and activities available to fill your time on holiday.

Citizens of most countries are able to visit the island without a Barbados tourist visa. These include North America, Canada, Western Europe and most Commonwealth countries. However every visitor to the island must have a valid passport and return ticket to be allowed entry onto the island.

Tourism in Barbados is not a modern day phenomenon. Visitors came to the island for holidays as early as the 1600s.

Way back in 1751, even George Washington, many years before he became president, accompanied his brother on a six week visit to Barbados. His brother was suffering from tuberculosis and it was hoped that the warm, sunny climate of this island would help him recover. The home that George Washington lived in during his time on the island has now been restored to its former glory and is Barbados' newest tourist attraction.

In old colonial days, wealthy British visitors would also visit the west coast of the island where you will find Holetown, the oldest town on the island.

Why is tourism in Barbados so great?

Barbados tourism has grown tremendously over the last few decades. This island has something to offer everyone including families, couples, sports enthusiasts, watersports lovers, walkers and most importantly what i like to call beach relaxers!

Here are some reasons why Barbados tourist and visitors, like yourself, choose my beautiful island as their Caribbean vacation spot....

Barbados Tourism

Barbados has a lower crime rate than our Caribbean island counterparts.

There is absolutely no tension between locals and visitors. We love you guys!

You can cruise on a catamaran and swim with sea turtles in Barbados!.

We have monkeys! This island is home to hundreds of green monkeys living in the trees of Barbados. Barbados tourists have the pleasure of viewing these monkeys while on vacation here.

Families can enjoy the safe and sheltered beaches of the south and west coasts, as well as the well equipped family oriented hotels.

There are plenty of quiet, more exclusive hotels that are lovely for honeymooning couples. For example Little Arches Hotel in Christ Church.

We've got the most consistent surf in the Caribbean! Surfers can have a great time on Barbados' east coast which faces the Atlantic Ocean offering fantastic waves and surfing opportunities.

Tourism in Barbados Green Monkey

Windsurfers and Kite surfers can enjoy the windy and wavey south eastern coast of Silver Sands. Other watersports lovers can also enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, jet skiing and more.

Sports enthusiasts can watch a cricket game, play world class golf, play tennis, go to the thoroughbred horse races or watch a polo match.

If sightseeing is more your cup of tea then there is plenty to discover amongst the plantations, gardens and rum distilleries. Walkers can explore the coastal paths and interior gullies.

Barbados is a great place to visit at any time of year, as the weather is warm all year round. The majority of tourists stay on the South coast which has a vast selection of accommodations available to suit all budgets. Barbados tourist seeking a more upscale Barbados vacation tend to stay along the exclusive west coast of the island with its luxury Barbados villas and Barbados hotels.

Barbados is outside of the path of major tropical storms and hurricanes due to its location on the map. The last time Barbados was struck by a hurricane was over 50 years ago.

Tourists in Barbados strolling on the beach

Tourists in Barbados strolling on the beach

Getting to Barbados is really easy! The modern, well-equipped Grantley Adams International Barbados Airport has daily direct flights that travel to and from the UK, USA and Canada and handles over 2 million passengers every year. This makes Barbados the most air-serviced Eastern Caribbean vacation destination.

Many first time Barbados visitors come back to my island again and again with nearly 25% of the island's tourists on return visits. Barbados holidays really cater to everyone.

Barbados Tourism Statistics

The Barbados Tourism Authority and Tourism Board collect statistics on travellers to the island on a regular basis. These tourism statistics help to show whether or not the tourism strategy for the island is succeeding, or where more resources need to be focused.

Tourism is by far the biggest earner of foreign exchange on the island making up over 80% and has had a substantial impact on the Barbados economy. The Barbados tourist industry accounts for around 15% of our GDP and employs over 11,000 of the island's population. It is expected that by 2012 over 11% of the island's population will be employed in the tourism industry.

By the beginning of 2006, just over half a million visitors holidayed in Barbados, and that didn't include the 560,000+ cruise ship passengers! That gave a total of over 1 million island vacationers. There are also just over 6,000 accommodation rooms available to tourists, ranging from guest houses to large all-inclusive resorts. This figure is estimated to increase to over 9,000 by 2010.

Which countries do visitors to Barbados usually come from?

Barbados has a longstanding connection with the United Kingdom, and many of the visitors to this lovely island are British, happy to exchange the often dreary skies of back home for the paradise beaches of the Caribbean.

The UK is therefore the main source of visitors for Barbados making up about 40% of tourists, another 25% coming from the USA and 10% from Canada as of 2007. However visitors do travel here from all over the world including the USA, Canada, even other parts of the Caribbean.

The Barbados Tourism Authority

Barbados tourist information is available from The Barbados Tourism Authority, either online or from their office in Harbour Road in Bridgetown. They also have offices inside the cruise ship terminal and the airport. Their offices have a wealth of information available for visitors to take away, including leaflets, brochures and maps.

Outside of Barbados, the Tourism Authority also has offices in the UK, USA, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Italy. For more information on obtaining a visa or locations of these tourism offices feel free to visit my Barbados visa requirements webpage.