Product Development Unit

Role

The primary role of the Product Development Unit is to facilitate and monitor product development activities in keeping with Barbados' sustainable tourism policy.  This entails collaborating with key national tourism agencies such as the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) and Tourism Development Corporation (TDC), the Non Government Organisation community and the general public to formulate strategic tourism initiatives as a means of enhancing Barbados' tourism product.  

 

It also entails liaising with the Organization of American States (OAS), Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), University of the West Indies (UWI), Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and other regional bodies on sustainable tourism and development matters.

 

Programmes

The aim of the Product Development programmes of the Ministry of Tourism is to contribute to the strengthening and enhancement of the competitiveness of Barbados’ tourism sector, as well as to encourage the sustainable development of the tourism industry.  The programmes address the growing concerns in tourism development such as:
 
  • • the safety and security of Barbados as a tourism destination,
  • • the development of the tourism product to allow greater local ownership and to meet international standards,
• appropriate tourism investment; and
• healthy, appealing natural environments. 

Specifically, these programmes are:

• Tourism, Education, Awareness and Me (T.E.A.M.)

• Tourism Safety and Security

• Cultural Heritage

• Tourism Product Standards

• Community Tourism

• Agro-tourism

• Home Accommodation

• Tourism Environmental Awareness 

• Administering the Tourism Development Act, Cap. 341

• Tourism Week 

• The Management, Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS 

• Barbados Tourism Awards 

 

Staffing

The Product Development Unit is headed by a Chief Tourism Development Officer and comprises a Senior Tourism Development Officer, six Tourism Development Officers and an HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator who are responsible for executing the above mentioned programmes.
 

Ministry of Tourism

"Encouraging Sustainable Tourism Development"