Barbados is back on the map for sun-bound German vacationers following the launch of thrice-weekly direct flights from Frankfurt to Bridgetown via Lufthansa. Paired with an enticing new year-long marketing campaign – We Gatherin’ 2020 – initiated by the island’s prime minister, Mia Mottley, this year is the perfect time to visit the ‘Little England’ of the Caribbean. Petra Roach, Head of Global Markets at Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., reveals more on We Gatherin’s environmental awareness focus and community pride activities, and what tourists should know about Barbados before they visit

What is the tourism strategy behind Barbados’ We Gatherin’ 2020 initiative?

Our tourism strategy is not only to persuade visitors to enjoy the island with Barbadians, but also join us in the protection of its environment and community. This is not just in terms of environmental protection but also social responsibility to the vulnerable. As Prime Minister Mia Mottley says, “Enjoy everything the country has to offer, but at the same time commit to giving something back.” We also want to encourage visitors to get off the beaten paths and into the local communities to experience the authentic Barbados, such as by trying local foods like cou cou, flying fish and pudding and souse, as well as local experiences like playing road tennis or dominoes.

What kind of environmental and community tourism programs is Barbados implementing?

This year we have created programs for locals and visitors alike to plant trees, learn about biodynamic farming, clean up a beach, mentor at-risk youth and join dance workshops for the disabled. Visitors can become involved as participants and/or learners in the programs, or act as volunteers in coordinating the activities. This is an invitation to feel good by doing good for oneself and for our community. While our single biggest initiative of the year will be the planting of one million trees, there will be activities throughout the year with a focus on a parish each month. For example, April will focus on the rural parish of St Joseph, where we will host agricultural workshops and participants will learn how to make healthy soil without pesticides, correctly plant trees, and produce organic wine with locally grown fruit.

What are some long-term goals attached to this year’s celebrations?

Our message to all Barbadians, along with Barbados enthusiasts, is to come home and make a contribution, reconnect with the island which has played a role in making you you – the person you are. This year starts us on our path to transformation, with goals such as becoming carbon neutral by the year 2030. We also want to reclaim a heritage that was at risk of evanescing and we can do this by looking after the vulnerable in our society, such as the elderly, among whom are many centenarians, the disabled, and the lost. The famous among us can tell people what Barbados is and what it intends to become.

What should visitors know about Barbados before they come?

Barbadians live well. The majority of our population is middle-class; therefore, prosperity and social equality are evenly distributed. Education and medical services are free. Water and electricity are in the majority of households. Owning one’s own car is deemed an option rather than a privilege. All Barbadian beaches are public. The fact that there are several festivals each month indicates that Barbadians celebrate what they have. We are not perfect –but, by and large, we are a proud people who love our country and our freedom to express ourselves openly.

How are you working to appeal to European travelers?

We are certainly aware that Europeans are increasingly sensitive to the environment. The trend of flygskam, or “flight-shaming,” is also growing. This is the reason why in April we have invited three European farming and agroforestry experts to host workshops whilst also offering visitors the chance to plant trees and other crops in Barbados. This will therefore offset, or partly offset, carbon emissions from their flight.

Can you elaborate on the open environmental activities you are organizing?

There will be nine beach cleanups in April, as well as sea cleanups during our Dive Festival in May. More information on this is on joinhandsinbarbados.org. These environmental projects are not new to Barbados but are actually expansions to other programs. For the last 20 years, our local university – the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill – has cultivated a small but mighty turtle conservation unit called the Sea Turtle Project that has been inviting volunteers to save and harvest the eggs of our endangered sea turtles: the green turtle and leatherback. We will continue to host these programs over the next few years. It is important to note that while Barbados’ position as the most easterly of the Caribbean islands has made it less vulnerable to hurricanes and we have only ever been the victim of one hurricane in 1955, we will never be so bold to say that we are hurricane-free, especially given the idiosyncrasies of climate change.

What is Barbados’ history of connectivity to Germany?

Barbados has had higher German visitation in the past; this was due primarily to connectivity and a less competitive landscape. In the late 1990s, three airlines served Barbados out of four German airports. Air Berlin flew to Barbados out of Düsseldorf, BWIA out of Cologne and Frankfurt, and Condor out of Frankfurt. But by 2001, Condor was the only one to maintain its flight to Barbados. This was largely due to the financial challenges in the airline business and the emergence of bigger, charter-driven Caribbean markets. We’re looking to reverse this trend and welcome back our Germany family, and we already see great success with the introduction of the Lufthansa service.

What does the opening of new direct Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt signify?

The Lufthansa flight commenced on October 28, 2019, and has seen markedly high booking rates. This comes in spite of a less than six-month marketing window so we are extremely pleased with the interest established to date. We are expecting a final count of around 15,000 inbound visits for 2019. German arrivals were up even before October so it remains a focus market for us. If Barbados continues to be served by both German airlines, this could become 25,000 by the end of 2020.