The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association

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The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association is a not for profit private sector trade association and one of the largest non-governmental associations in Barbados. We exist to serve the interests of our diverse membership of over 300 tourism and non-tourism entities, both local and international.

Although we represent over 80% of the total accommodation room stock of the island, over 60% of our membership base consists of non-accommodation entities, including activities and attractions, airlines, restaurants, real estate agents, tour representatives, retailers, local and international trade and consumer press, advertising and public relations agencies, technology providers, consultants, and suppliers of goods and services, consultants, cruise service providers and tourism students.

Our primary goal is to facilitate the sustainable growth and development of our local tourism sector, to the benefit of our members, our country and the people of Barbados.

Our Mission

Our Mission

Together with our members and our global public and private sector strategic partners, we strive to ensure that Barbados achieves and maintains the status of the most desired Caribbean destination for pleasure and business.

 

Customer Promise

To treat each customer, both internal and external, with care and respect because our success depends on your success.

Our Corporate Vision

To be the private sector organisation providing national leadership for vibrant and sustainable tourism development.

Our Mission

Bringing people, research knowledge and technology together to resolve challenges of business and to provide strong advocacy while fostering unity amongst our tourism partners.

Our Values and Commitments

We will LEAD well with respect to the following:
• Knowledge – Informed decision making and information that is based on research and geared for action
• Products and Service – Work with world class standards ONLY
• Advocacy – Resolve industry issues by engaging our partners
• Nimbleness – Respond promptly to members’ needs and changes in the industry
• Partnerships – Build synergies through networking

Through our alliances with other regional and international agencies, our members benefit because of the strength of our unity and shared resources.

The BHTA has established international alliances with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association, the Tourism Development Corporation (Barbados), the Barbados Tourism Authority, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Primary Roles

  • Lobbying

  • Labour Relations & Human Resource Development

  • Public Relations & Public Education

  • Information Dissemination

  • Marketing and Product Development

Lobbying

The Association has established a framework for effective lobbying on Governmental and non-Governmental entities to represent members’ interests, to create and maintain an environment in which all of our members can optimise their business potential.
In addition to several project committees, the BHTA represents it members on over sixty (60) board and committees including:

Boards
• Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA)
• Tourism Development Corporation (TDC)
• Small Hotels of Barbados Inc. (SHBI)
• National Conservation Commission (NCC)
• National Insurance Corporation (NIS)
• Barbados Conference Services Limited (BCSL)
• Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE)

Committees
• Tourism Advisory Council
• Marketing and Product Development Committee (TDC)
• National Emergency Organisation Committee
• National Tourism Emergency Management Committee
• TVET Council
• Social Partnership Committee
• Barbados Private Sector Agency

Labour Relations & Human Resource Development

The Association seeks to establish the optimum framework and most congenial labour relations climate for its members. This involves formally negotiating with labour unions as it relates to the collective bargaining process.

For over 50 years, we have been actively involved in the establishment and facilitation of training opportunities, seminars, programmes and standards which constantly seek to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and contribute to the sustainability of our present and future valuable workforce. Through our association with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, our member consultants and other key service providers both local and international, we offer courses in Food and Beverage, HAACP, HIV/AIDS, Environmental management, Hurricane Preparedness and Customer Service among others. We offer training at all levels, for both accommodation and non-accommodation sectors.
The BHTA also offers coop health and life insurance and pension plan schemes to all our members and their employees.

Primary Roles

Public Relations & Public Education

The BHTA is committed to the promotion of the importance and value of our local tourism industry to all Barbadians, to stimulate a perception of ownership. Barbados as a destination is renowned for the friendliness of our people, and we wish to maintain and highlight this asset. Through our community activities and educational programmes, working with schools, colleges and universities, we seek to educate all Barbadians of their role in the industry and to highlight the stellar contributions of those already in the industry. We believe that the future of our industry depends on this. Working together with our strategic partners, we promote programmes such as STEP, Adopt-A-School, Tourism Education Awareness & Me (TEAM), NIFCA, and the Barbados Culinary Team.

Information Dissemination

As the hub of a vast network of local, regional and international members, suppliers and strategic partners, the BHTA has as one of its major functions, the collection and dissemination of timely data and information. This assists us with achieving the mission and helps to keep our members at the cutting edge of the industry. This objective is achieved through the body’s own internal communications system which includes a bi-weekly fact sheet, and daily email communications with our extensive email database network. The BHTA has amassed a valuable database of decision makers from both within our membership, as well as our strategic partners, local, regional and international.

Marketing and Product Development

Marketing and product development are two of our main priorities at the BHTA, as we seek to facilitate opportunities that will enable our members to achieve their business objectives. We are very aware of the fact that Barbados, tourism product exists in a highly competitive, dynamic global tourism market. For us to maintain and gain market share, we need to constantly look at the development of our product to ensure the satisfaction of our customers and the attraction of new business to the destination. Our product includes the plant and its people, and our programmes are aimed towards their development as a prerequisite to our facilitation of marketing initiatives.

How We Function

How We Function

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors governs the policies of the organisation.
The 11 members include:

  • Chairman
  • Immediate Past Chairman
  • 1st Vice Chairman
  • 2nd Vice Chairman
  • Director of Finance
  • Director of Direct Tourism Services
  • Chairperson of Luxury Class
  • Chairperson of ‘A’ Class
  • Chairperson of ‘B’ Class and Apartments
  • Chairperson of Vacation Rental Property Management Companies
  • Chairperson of Direct Tourism Services
  • Representative – Intimate Hotels of Barbados – Chairman
  • Representative – Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc
  • Representative – Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association
  • Representative – Young Leaders Committee

Committees / Project Teams

Our Committees or Project Teams each comprise a chairperson, deputy chairperson, and a number of individuals from among the membership who volunteer to work together to effectively and efficiently support the daily operations of the Association and to, through discussions and initiatives, assist the Secretariat in meeting the needs of our membership.

  • Luxury Class Hotels
  • A Class Hotels
  • B Class and Apartments
  • Vacation Rental Property Management Companies
  • Finance
  • Membership and Constitution
  • Safety and Security
  • Marketing and Product Development
  • Direct Tourism and Supporting Services
  • Human Resource Development and Labour Relations
  • Research and Information Technology
  • Government Affairs & PR

Product Clubs

Our product club teams comprise of volunteers from among our membership along with key strategic partners who have a direct interest in the specific niche. Their mandate is to drive initiatives that will assist in the growth, development and marketing of key niche markets identified.

  • Romance
  • Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE)

Our Achievements

Service to our members is our #1 mandate. The diversity of our membership base requires our involvement in many sectoral issues, both locally and internationally. We function like the nucleus in the cell of a global tourism industry. Driven by our mission to build strong strategic alliances and to stimulate development and proactive positive growth within our local tourism industry, we have seen significant achievements which assist with the individual success goals of our membership.

Establishment of the School Tourism Education Program (STEP) which seeks to facilitate the ability of school teachers to experience and learn about our tourism industry through establishing relationships between schools and tourism businesses.

Development of the Take Me to Barbados promotional package which replaced the Best of Barbados promotion.

Launch of Barbados’ first official booking engine www.BookBarbadosNow.com to facilitate direct bookings for our member businesses.

Creation of the first domestic tourism program in Barbados “Staycation Barbados” designed to facilitate more locals experiencing the tourism product.

Lobbied for and participated in the construction of a new Tourism Incentives Act, a revision of the outdated Hotels Aids Act, to recognise that Tourism is all inclusive and spread fiscal benefits beyond the accommodation sector to include all tourism related businesses. Also to create a friendly climate to encourage local and foreign investment.

Negotiated Value Added and Land tax concessions for the hotel industry.

Lobbied for the establishment of a $30 million Tourism Investment Fund to establish the Small Hotels and Tourism businesses.

Negotiated the $20 million Small Hotels Fund to facilitate the formation of the Small Hotels of Barbados Inc. group of small hotels, which trade under the brand of Intimate Hotels of Barbados and functions under the umbrella of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association.

Establishment of a Crime Prevention Fund with the Tourism Development Corporation and the Barbados Tourism Authority, funding equipment for the Royal Barbados Police Force.

Negotiated reduced WTO Bound Rates and suitable quotas aimed at reducing the cost which had a negative impact on the very high operating costs for our industry organisations.

Lobbied against the first draft of the proposed Employment Rights Bill seeking modifications to the Bill, to create a more favourable operating environment for our member businesses and future international investment in our local tourism industry.

Lobbied for the creation of a fast track model within Government which facilitates investment applications and entrepreneurship in the industry.
The negotiation of the collective labour agreement between the Barbados Workers Union and our accommodation members. Current two year agreement ends on December 31st, 2012. New negotiations have commenced in 2012.

The continual watchdog and lobbying action of our Safety and Security project team to ensure that we eliminate acts of violence against visitors. We work with our Government and the Royal Barbados Police Force, facilitating the acquisition of equipment to assist police officers, the provision of uniforms for Island Constables and Tourism Awareness
training, in an effort to assist with a more effective fight against crime.

Assisting with the creation of a BHTA / BTA Joint Marketing Initiative – intention to work jointly in creating a national marketing perspective for Barbados.

The development of a tourism career awareness programme (TEAM) aimed at highlighting careers within the industry and sharing industry knowledge with the public. This program is now under the portfolio of the Ministry of Tourism.

Adopt-a-School and support of the “Hello, Tourist!” programmes.

The establishment of the Barbados Environmental and Sustainable Tourism (BEST) Programme in collaboration with PA Consulting Group, Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) and the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC), aimed at promoting environmentally friendly practices to our members and the community.

We had representation on the International Labour Organisation tour to Switzerland aimed at improving the human resource portfolio of the Hospitality Industry internationally and by extension Barbados.

BHTA Training Fund which provides funds to train staff within the hospitality industry.

Customer Service training programme for Restaurants, Police and other industry employees.

 Marketplace

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