Barbados seeks more airlift

Barbados tourism officials are in discussions with airlines at this year's WTM about increasing the airlift to the country that has lost 90,000 seats in the last 12 months.

Richard Sealy, minister for tourism, said discussions would be taking place with a number of airlines, including ones that might consider launching no-frills services to the island.

The demise of XL Airways last year and route changes by BMI have accounted for most of the loss of seats, although Sealy said Barbados continues to work closely with its key airline partners such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.  
"What we have to do is accept that we have to embrace some of the low-cost operators. What you have to do is hunt for more airlift," he said.
"Anyone who is willing to fly to Barbados can give me a call. If you are willing to take that risk in this environment we are willing to talk to you, particularly out of the UK."

Sealy said the UK market was vitally important to Barbados, representing 40% of its arrivals each year and over half of the tourist expenditure, more than all other source markets put together.
"Given the state of the UK economy that has meant that we have been highly challenged to keep business going. Yes, we are highly dependent on the UK but we do have other source markets to spread the risk," Sealy added.

UK arrivals to Barbados this year is down "in the low teens", Sealy added, although he said this compared well to other high-profile destinations and Barbados has not seen any major hotel closures as a result.

He also said the destination has resisted the urge to discount prices too heavily and to chase the all-inclusive bandwagon largely because it does not have the hotel inventory to do so and it wanted to protect its upmarket "brand equity".

Barbados will continue to develop the Canadian outbound market, which was in growth this year, and will also look for new markets in Europe. It is also in discussions about more airlift from Latin America, although the British market will continue to be its most important.

New no-frills routes from north America, including Jetblue from the US and Westjet from Canada, have successfully increased numbers from those markets. The US accounts for 20% of arrivals, Canada around 10% and the rest of the Caribbean 11%-13%. 

Sealy said in the month of October the Jetblue service increased arrivals from the US by nearly 40%. "That's a robust statistic to bring home just how important airt lift is," he said.
Barbados is continuing to develop its family and friends club in the UK under which it is using Barbadians living in the UK as ambassadors for the destination.