Barbados in the Cruise Tourism Global Value Chain

Barbados in the Cruise Tourism Global Value Chain
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Listing Type: Research Reports

Jack Daly | Karina Fernandez-Stark

This report uses the Duke Global Value Chain (GVCC) framework to examine Barbados’ position in the cruise tourism global value chain (GVC) and identify opportunities for small businesses within the sector. While cruise tourism remains a small niche within the broader tourism industry—its 24 million passengers constitute just 2% of worldwide travelers—it is a critical economic activity in the Caribbean. Barbados conforms to this regional trend, contributing 54% of the 1.3 million tourists who visited the country in 2015. While the total number of cruise passengers arriving in the Bridgetown port has increased in recent years, the average amount of money they are spending is declining. This report identifies some of constraints associated with Barbados’ cruise tourism products and outlines potential upgrading strategies to boost passenger expenditures. The rise in demand for premium products in the alcoholic spirits industry is creating new opportunities for producing nations to increase their participation in the global market. Barbados, the birthplace of rum, is currently poised to capitalize on this shift towards premium and authentic spirits. However, it must first address several issues in the industry, including the sourcing of necessary inputs and the development of a national brand. This report examines the potential for Barbados to increase its participation in the industry using the global value chain framework. Nation News published an article entitled, Upgrade cruise, rum sectors in Barbados, related to the findings of the report on January 28, 2018.

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