Barbados Officials Predicting Record Cruise Season

Barbados is poised to post record cruise visitor totals in 2023-2024. (Photo by Brian Major)

Barbados will host 741,265 cruise ship passengers and 407 cruise ship calls between October 2023 and April 2024, both records compared to the Caribbean country’s record 2019 totals, said government officials in a statement.

Barbados’s 2023-2024 cruise passenger and ship-call projections represent increases of 15.6 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively, over the 625,847 passenger arrivals and 362 cruise ship calls recorded during the 2022-2023 season, said officials at Cruise Barbados.

Barbados’ double-digit increases follow a “strong rebound” for the destination’s cruise business during the 2022-2023 season, representing an 86 percent recovery of the 726,028 cruise passengers and 384 ship calls reported during the 2018-19 season.

“We are grateful to witness this remarkable level of recovery after years of struggle throughout the pandemic,” said Tia Broomes, Cruise Barbados’ senior business development officer. Broome said 25 cruise lines will call at the Port of Bridgetown in 2023-2024.

“It has emboldened us to emerge stronger than ever before, steadfastly building a brighter future,” she said. “We welcome all vacationers to explore the unforgettable and immersive excursions our island has to offer.”

In a related development, the Board of Directors of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) announced the organization has mutually agreed to part ways with Dr. Jens Thraenhart, BTMI’s chief executive officer, effective July 14.

Craig Hinds, BTMI’s chief financial officer, will act as CEO during the organization’s search for a replacement, said Shelly Williams, the board’s chairperson.

“We have reviewed BTMI’s business and operations and strategy and we agreed BTMI needs to go in a different direction to ensure the growth” of tourism in Barbados, Williams said.

Added Williams, “Tourism continues to drive the economy in Barbados, through employment and generating business.

“Our focus is on making sure we deliver growth by looking at new and emerging markets [and] increasing airlift and cruise business [to] allow Barbadians to see the financial returns from tourism.”

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