Full rooms signal bright start to winter tourism season

Barbados’ winter tourism season has opened on a strong note, with hotel occupancy levels climbing above last year and many properties already operating at or near full capacity, according to chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) Javon Griffith.

Speaking in an interview with the Sunday Sun yesterday, Griffith said early data for the 2025-26 winter period pointed to a “minor but clear increase” in occupancy compared with the same period last year, even as the association prepares to conduct a fuller data poll among its members.

“What we are seeing so far is an increase in occupancy levels for winter,” Griffith said, stressing that while figures vary across the sector, the overall trend was upward. He explained that most of the data received to date reflected single-digit increases, noting that the numbers would continue to fluctuate as more properties report their figures.

For the current weekend, however, performance across the sector was particularly robust, he said. Griffith revealed that many hotels were operating in the “very high 90s”, with several properties reporting full occupancy.

“Most places are in the very high 90s and several properties are 100 per cent full,” he said, describing the situation as encouraging for hoteliers who were bracing for uncertainty in global travel markets.

The BHTA chairman said demand this winter was being driven by a relatively balanced mix of traditional source markets, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. That balance, he explained, was not uniform across the island, but varied depending on location.

“This winter we’re definitely seeing an equal split at the moment between the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK),” Griffith said.

“But that will vary based on coastline. On the west coast, you tend to see that more equal split, while on the south coast the business is more geared towards the US market” .

Improved airlift

He added that the east coast continued to present a more mixed pattern, reflecting its smaller accommodation base and niche appeal.

One notable feature of the season so far, according to Griffith, was the rise in late or last-minute bookings, particularly from North American travellers. He said this trend had become more pronounced over recent weeks and was being widely reported by BHTA members.

“Last-minute business is definitely more noticeable this winter.

Almost all of that is coming from the US market, where there are seats available into the destination and people are deciding at very late notice to book trips to Barbados”.

Griffith pointed to improved airlift as a major factor behind the strong occupancy numbers and the increase in first-time visitors. In particular, he highlighted the impact of expanded services by Delta Airlines, which he said had significantly improved Barbados’ accessibility to the American market.

“Airline capacity has definitely impacted occupancies quite positively,” he said. “We are seeing a number of first-time visitors who had never even considered Barbados before but did so because they saw their preferred airline now flying into the destination”.

According to Griffith, the availability of convenient connections through Atlanta made the island more attractive to the average American family, translating directly into hotel bookings during the busy festive and winter periods.

Current trends

He also noted clear differences in the average length of stay by market, with North American visitors typically staying for shorter periods than their British counterparts.

“For North Americans, the average length of stay is four to five nights,” Griffith explained.

“The British market remains around ten nights on average. So there really isn’t one single average that can be used for the entire industry. It depends very much on the source market”.

Looking ahead, he said the association was “quietly confident” about maintaining and potentially improving occupancy levels through the remainder of the winter season, based on current trends and forward bookings.

“Forward bookings through to April next year are steadily arriving,” he said, adding that the industry was now entering its most critical sales period of the year.

“January is a makeor- break period for many of our members, particularly with the UK market promotions that take place at this time”.

Griffith said the next few weeks were expected to bring a further surge in bookings, especially from the UK, painting what he described as a “very positive picture” for the remainder of the winter season and into 2026. (CLM)

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