Barbados has joined the Virtuoso travel network. As a preferred destination, Barbados will offer travel experiences to Virtuoso’s advisors and their upscale clientele.
In joining the network, Barbados will now be available as a destination option to more than 300 preeminent agencies across 22 countries and their clients located worldwide.
Barbados provides an authentic Caribbean experience with its exceptionally rich heritage rooted in remarkable landscapes. An ideal stage for world-class events, the destination has hosted numerous athletic championships, including the 2006 PGA World Golf Championships-Barbados World Cup, the ICC Cricket World Cup Finals in 2007, the Sentebale Charity Polo match with Prince Harry of Wales in 2010, and the ICC Twenty20 Cricket Finals for 2010.
This year, the island is proud to bring back the second annual “Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival,” drawing culinary superstars Tom Colicchio, Marcus Samuelsson and Ming Tsai to Barbados to showcase their special trade firsthand through cooking demonstrations for locals and visitors.
Offering something for every traveler, the island’s accommodations range from picturesque plantation houses and villas, to quaint bed and breakfasts and award-winning, five-star resorts. Barbados’ Grantley Adams International Airport offers even more non-stop and direct service from a growing number of U.S. cities via Jet Blue Airways and American Airlines, making the destination the true gateway to the Eastern Caribbean.
“The island of Barbados is thrilled about this prestigious recognition and is looking forward to a flourishing partnership with Virtuoso,” said David M Rice, president and CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority, in a written release. “We are so proud to be a part of such an established and reputable network of travel professionals who are familiar with the island’s culture and all it has to offer. Coupled with this honor, our upcoming cultural activities, island happenings and increased airlift now in place, we expect our visitor numbers to continue to grow incrementally.”
Of the new travel partner, Angela Goicouria, CTC, Virtuoso’s vice president of alliances, said in a statement, “At Virtuoso we strive to associate and collaborate with the finest destinations all over the world. Virtuoso’s clientele is well-traveled and is interested in experiences that can offer something new, something different and something genuine. Barbados is the perfect example of a destination that offers an authentic sense of place, while also maintaining the gracious hospitality the Virtuoso traveler expects. We are very excited to welcome the island nation to our portfolio of world’s best destinations.”
Visit www.virtuoso.com and www.visitbarbados.org.