BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Sue Springer, president of the Barbados
Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA), is forecasting a slow
summer season for the island.
Springer, who served as president of the BHTA for the past two
years, suspects that a number of international events will keep
visitors from traveling to Barbados.
At the annual general meeting of the BHTA, Springer listed the
Summer Olympics, the weakening of the pound sterling and the U.S.
presidential election later this year as factors that may cause
arrivals to drop.
Springer also said competition still lies close at hand with the
expansion of international hotel chains in St. Lucia and
Tobago.
A strong showing in the first five months of this year "was not
expected to be repeated during the summer," she commented. Despite
waning interest from international visitors, Springer said she
hopes arrivals from the U.S. will make up for some of the downturn
in other visitors.
With increased airlift from the U.S. by BWIA and Air Jamaica,
Barbados should be able to recover during the winter season, she
said.