Tourism is the engine of growth of the Barbados economy and continues to be the main source of foreign exchange and employment. In 2001, Barbados welcomed over 1 million visitors who spent in excess of US$700 million. We are committed to the sustainable development of tourism in Barbados and have formulated policies designed to make Barbados the destination of choice by 2010.

As Minister of Tourism and International Transport, my vision for the Ministry of Tourism is an institution whose policies and programmes are guided by research and information - critical tools in the efficient planning and development of the tourism sector. Consequently, I welcome the opportunity to launch this Website and to invite you to peruse its pages. I hope that the information posted will be both useful and informative and we look forward to your comments, which will assist us in its further development.      

The development of the Internet and universal access to information technology has not only contributed to making the world one global village but has also given small developing countries, like Barbados, an opportunity to compete in the global arena. This is occasioned, particularly, by the availability of timely and accurate information for planning and decision-making as well as the ability to use the Internet more effectively for information sharing, marketing and e-commerce.

This website is the initial step in developing an Internet presence for the Ministry of Tourism. I anticipate that it will be subjected to developmental changes as we seek to enhance our service to our customers and improve its usefulness as both a source of information and a vehicle for the collection of information on key aspects of the industry.