From left to right: British comedian Rob Beckett; General Manager of Travelzoo UK, James Clarke; Business Development Officer, BTMI UK, Ryan Toppin; Director, UK, BTMI, Cheryl Carter; Business Development Officer, BTMI UK, Gloria Carter; and Editor in Chief of Travel Weekly, Lucy Huxley, celebrate Barbados’ win at the Globe Travel Awards 2024. (BMTI)
The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) was awarded the ‘Best Tourist Board’ at the Globe Travel Awards 2024 hosted by Travel Weekly, on Thursday, January 11.
The Globe Travel Awards, recognised as the Oscars of the travel industry, have given travel sellers the opportunity to recognise and reward their favoured suppliers for more than 45 years.The winners were voted for exclusively by thousands of travel agents nationally, which is further testimony to all that the BTMI does to support the United Kingdom (UK) travel trade industry.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, said: “Winning the Best Tourist Board Award is not just a recognition for Barbados but also of the hard work and dedication of the BTMI UK team. It is through their tireless dedication that Barbados continues to shine on the world stage.
“A huge part of this success also lies in the hands of our travel trade partners who continue to play such an important role in helping us to increase tourism in Barbados, and of course our tourism stakeholders and Barbadian citizens for so warmly welcoming visitors, a trait that resonates deeply with all who visit our Island.”
The BTMI team joined other tourist boards and travel companies at the awards ceremony at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London last Thursday and were delighted to walk away with the accolade in front of a sell-out audience of more than 1,200 guests.
Being the only country from the Caribbean and one of 10 shortlisted in the category, receiving the award is a momentous milestone for BTMI, reflecting the hard work, creativity and passion of the team. The other tourism boards shortlisted in the category were: Brand USA; Destination Canada; Greek National Tourist Office; Portuguese National Tourist Office; Spanish National Tourist Office; Tourism Australia; Visit Florida; Visit Malta, and Visit Orlando.
BTMI’s UK Director, Cheryl Carter, who was on hand to accept the award said: “We are truly overwhelmed and honoured to be recognised as the Best Tourism Board by travel agents here in the UK. Winning this prestigious award at the Globe Travel Awards 2024 is testament to the dedication of our team and the incredible experiences that Barbados has to offer. We are committed to continuing our efforts to promote and showcase the beauty, culture and hospitality of our beautiful Island.”
Ms. Carter continued: “A heartfelt thank you goes out to our invaluable travel trade partners. Their integral role in our success is immeasurable and we look forward to continuing our collaborative journey in creating memorable travel experiences.”
The island of Barbados is dedicated to providing the warmest welcome in the Caribbean and offering an unforgettable experience for its visitors. Barbados’ stunning beaches, rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality are some of the unique aspects that make it the go-to destination in the Caribbean.