Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill highlights strategic partnerships as essential to boost Caribbean Tourism

Ian Gooding-Edghill, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, spoke at the third annual ASTA Caribbean Showcase to reiterate the critical role that strategic partnerships can bring to Caribbean tourism industry development.

Speaking at the third annual ASTA Caribbean Showcase, hosted at Sandals Royal Curacao in August 2024, Gooding-Edghill referred to the successful collaboration between Sandals Resorts and the North American Travel Advisor Community. He underlined that this collaboration is vital to promoting the region and keeping its tourism-driven economies going.

Organized by the American Society of Travel Advisors, the event saw over 235 travel advisors take in the Caribbean. ASTA represents North American travel advisors, a key source market for the region.

According to Minister Gooding-Edghill, firsthand exposure for travel advisors is crucial to their ability to promote destinations such as Barbados. The advisors will now have an even more personal appreciation of what the region has to offer their clients and can help attract a wider pool of prospective travellers.

Having attended last year’s event in Turks and Caicos, the Minister said he was now looking forward to when the showcase would make its way to the shores of Barbados.

He especially praised the collaboration between Sandals Resorts and ASTA, noting that this was very necessary for the Caribbean to remain competitive in a constantly changing travel world.

“This partnership allows travel advisors to see, feel, and experience the Caribbean, which is a big accomplishment that is sure to benefit our region,” he said.

Similarly, the Curacao Minister of Traffic, Transportation, and Urban Planning, Charles Cooper, shared experiences of how Sandals has helped his island tap into the American market.

According to Minister Cooper, the tourism industry now constitutes 35-40% of Curacao’s GDP, in which Sandals has played a major role in increasing exposure to North American visitors.

Minister Gooding-Edghill reminded that tourism is the major, often principal, economic pillar for so many Caribbean countries, and contributions from travel advisors have a direct impact on local communities. In sending their clients to the region, advisors help fuel both wealth and employment, as well as important social services.

Gary Sadler, Executive Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations for Unique Vacations Inc., reiterated Sandals Resorts’ commitment to continuing to work with travel advisors.

He says their work has become a real factor in economic development for the Caribbean. “You change lives through your profession, and we remain committed to working alongside you,” Sadler underscored as he underlined how much Sandals trusts these professionals as its partners in the future of Caribbean tourism.

The strategic alliance adds weight to tourism in the region, as it nurtures long-term sustainability by creating mutual benefits among resorts, advisors, and the local economies they support.