Taming Tiger

With efforts being made to woo golfer Tiger Woods to its greens, Barbados is using golf as leverage to complement and boost an already well-oiled tourism machine. Already a power player in the tourism business, the tiny island is maintaining its drive to get maximum returns from the market this year with its main focus being the World Golf Championships or the Barbados World Cup. Claire Jordan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Barbados Golf Club and Coordinator of the event is confident that the tournament will not only benefit golf but the island’s entire tourism sector, emphasising that the economic impact of the tournament is anticipated to be in the vicinity of BDS$50 million. Jordan, outlining the island’s latest tourism thrust, told journalists attending a press conference at the Marriot Hotel at Invaders Bay, that 24 countries will be vying for the US$4M prize money, with champions each receiving US$1.4 million or BDS$700,000 and runners-up ,US$700,000 or BDS$350,000. Apart from the Barbados team that has automatically qualified for the event,

Trinidadian PGA golf pro, Stephen Ames, is being seen as the Caribbean’s best hope for qualification into the competition. There is tremendous interest in whether Ames will accept the invitation to represent TT, journalist were told. It was noted that having Ames would significantly enhance the event and add a unique Caribbean perspective to the championships. The tournament, being held at the island’s top country club golf course, the Sandy Lane Resort, will be sponsored by the BTA and other big corporate names including, Accenture, Bridgestone and American Express.

The event will be broadcast to more than 200 million viewers in 140 nations via international television networks, including ESPN and ABC in the US, Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and NHK in Asia. The television coverage, Jordan said, will be punctuated with snippets on things to do in Barbados: water sports, culture, history and beaches. With the television coverage alone and mainstream networks broadcasting to millions of viewers for three hours daily, the championships, she added, will send a clear message that Barbados can hold its own in hosting an international event. To further promote the prestigious event, advertisements will be placed in top international golf and tourism
magazines, sports channels and in regional airline publications. BTA officials said mechanisms were being put in place to measure its short, medium and long-term impact and return on investment. Admitting there was a decline in tourism after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Linda Christian Clarke, BTA’s senior business manager for the Caribbean and Latin

America, noted though that increased tourism and improved economic conditions in the US and Europe in the last few years have helped to inject money back into the economy. She added that despite the recent decision on the flying fish issue, the island has been seeing increased arrivals from our shores, citing TT as Barbados’ key tourism market. Clarke expects tourism to increase even more with the hosting of the Cricket World Cup in 2007, which is carded for next year. “The hosting of both events will showcase our nation on the whole and will establish Barbados as the Caribbean’s leading country for sports,” she told reporters. She said in preparation for both prestigious sporting events, the Grantley Adams Airport was being given a major upgrade, which was partially completed. The new airport, she said provides more than 50 percent space increase at the arrival terminal. The baggage claim area, departure lounge and shopping area have also been expanded and the construction of four passenger boarding bridges is also carded for completion.

Other infrastructural improvements in the planning stages, she said, include the expansions in the aircraft parking apron and further expansions of the departure lounge to accommodate the growing fly-cruise traffic. The aim is to give support to Barbados’ push to bring cruise ships to the island, it was noted. Promotions have already taken place in Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, St Vincent and Grenada. After TT, the delegation headed to Jamaica, Martinique and Guadeloupe. Other major upcoming events which are also expected to boost tourism are the Barbados Gospelfest which runs from May 20-28 and the Barbados Jazz Festival which runs from January 8 to 17, 2007.The perennial Crop Over Festival runs fromJuly 8 to August 7 this year.