The island of Barbados is betting on the Canadian market, looking to attract Canadian travellers seeking new sun-soaked destinations to visit. As Canadians flock less to U.S. destinations—visitation to the U.S. is down 5.8% from last year, and down 12.5% from 2019—they're eying fresh places to go.
The story is clear: Barbados is positioning itself to be that fresh destination for Canadians.
When big world changes happen, Barbados is the first destination to respond. Its Welcome Stamp initiative during the pandemic was iconic and spurred a global trend. Now, Barbados wants to focus on Canadian travelers to keep tourism healthy for local communities on its island.
The statistics speak: December marked the 75th anniversary of the first Air Canada flight to Barbados, the airline’s first Caribbean destination. Canada is already Barbados’s third-largest visitor market, boasting a 13% increase in Canadian arrivals in 2024. This push to increase visitation even more comes this summer, during Barbados’ off-season from June-September. This is an enticing time of year for Canadians to explore the island. Snowbirds are back home in Canada, which means crowds are thinner and reservations are easy to nab.
Canadians are traveling more and more internationally, with 13 million trips abroad in 2024. That’s up 5.2% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. But trips to go-to destinations like the U.S. are still down 11% from 2019, showing that Canadian habits are changing.
The Barbados difference: Recent PR pushes in Canada, like an activation Union Station, have made clear how Barbados is committed to attracting Canadian travellers. By creating engaging in-market experiences with “The Barbados Difference,” the destination brings a fresh take to marketing by infusing its island character into everything it does. Barbados knows it can tempt Canadians to book trips to experience the real thing on the island.
Connecting over cuisine: The biggest investments in the Canadian market have been through Barbadian flavors. The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) brought its island spirit to the Toronto Food Festival. It hosted a world-class culinary showcase led by two of the country’s most celebrated talents: award-winning Chef Javon Cummins and renowned mixologist Alex Chandler. BTMI also organized a consumer takeover of popular Toronto restaurant Miss Likklemore’s on June 4. Chef Cummins and mixologist Philip Casanova served up Barbadian fare during two sittings.
Connecting with tastemakers: And this July, BTMI is partnering for the second consecutive year at the Rosé Picnic. As an official partner of Toronto’s most stylish summer celebration of music, fashion, and food, Barbados will connect directly with potential travellers and tastemakers. The event takes place July 12 at the Canadian Film Centre in the city’s prestigious Bridle Path neighbourhood.
These events and appearances are just part of the story. The entire team at BTMI is working overtime to connect with Canadian travellers, tapping into a shared Commonwealth History. As travel trends change with uncertainty in North America, Barbados is looking to create stability for Canadian travellers.
