Jordan Applauds Move to Protect Tourism Brand

Colin Jordan, the Parliament Representative for St. Peter, has underscored the critical role of branding in the highly competitive tourism industry.

 

During the recent debate on the Tourist Accommodation Bill, 2025, Jordan highlighted that in today's discerning market, branding must transcend superficial elements.

 

He stated, "Branding in 2025 does not often go as deep into what a thing really is, but it speaks very often, and in my view maybe too often, to what a thing looks like, how it is perceived, but superficially."

 

Jordan emphasized that in an internationally competitive industry like tourism, where accommodations in Barbados must vie with those in destinations such as the Maldives and Turks and Caicos, the matter of branding must be taken very seriously.

 

As a former president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Jordan expressed support for the bill, which aims to license, classify, designate, register, regulate, monitor, and inspect tourist accommodations.

 

He noted that the legislation reflects the Ministry of Tourism and the Government's commitment to safeguarding the brand and the integrity of the story shared internationally when inviting people to visit Barbados.

 

Jordan also highlighted the ease with which brand integrity can be lost, stressing the importance of inspections for those who sell vacations at their properties, as they are selling Barbados.

 

He stated, "No individual owner or operator of an accommodation business in tourism, in the tourism industry, is selling only their place of business. In international tourism, once you are out there internationally in the market, you are also selling the country."

 

Jordan concluded by emphasizing the country's responsibility to ensure that no individual, in pursuit of their own gain, does harm to the brand and the name of Barbados.

 

He stressed the importance of holding all accommodation businesses to certain standards to protect the country's reputation.