Colin Jordan, President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association said that it is difficult to oppose casinos when other forms of gambling exist in the country. The BHTA’s President made his views known on the subject, which is being promoted in some quarters as one way to drive more visitors to Barbados.

Jordan said: “I am opposed to Gambling period. However, it is difficult to oppose casino gambling when it is quite prevalent in Barbados. For example people go to Bridgetown and bet on all of the British football premier leagues, and many other forms exist. It is difficult for people to oppose Gambling while they are supporting other forms of gambling in Barbados. How is it moral to support one and not the other?”

Jordan said the BHTA had not surveyed its members recently to get the association’s position on this niche, adding: “It is possible that some visitor would love to smoke everywhere in Barbados, but we have essentially said when you get to Barbados you have to look out for the locals. We don’t believe a person who wants to enjoy the Barbadian experience will decide not to come because we don’t offer casino gambling”.

Jordan pointed out that Barbados predominately attracts a sophisticated and aspiration related type of visitors. Sophisticated not necessarily rich but a person who wants to enjoy a special experience, not a destination where everything goes. He also noted that there are some destinations known for niches and it works for them. He pointed, for example, to Las Vegas which is known for gambling, other places to party and drink, and stated that while there are many niches to get into “we don’t want to be part of all”.

Sue Springer, the BHTA’s Executive Vice President said that the Casino Gambling niche is major in The Bahamas, Aruba and Antigua in some other areas, and asked: “But has that really driven arrivals in the current economic situation any more than islands who don’t offer casino gambling?

Springer added: “It depends on the client, it depends on what you want. There is a big enough audience for us to survive without that particular dynamic, we can go into health tourism, educational tours, culture and so on, long before we have to go into that particular niche. We cannot be all things to all people”. (E-08.24.10)

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