Independent hotels under the Intimate Hotels of Barbados banner are facing one of their most challenging summer seasons in years, with low bookings, fewer flights and mounting competition from new resorts and short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb squeezing occupancy rates, Barbados TODAY can reveal.
Most IHB members report a continuing seasonal slump that the group’s Executive Director, Cicely Denise Callender, described as “customary”.
But while the seasonal lull is well known, the IHB hotels are now grappling with intensified competition from newly built large resorts and the rapidly growing number of Airbnb listings in Barbados, officials said.
“Being real, most of the members have reported low occupancy with regards to their occupancy rates for summer, but this is typical at this time of the year,” she told reporters after the group’s annual general meeting on Thursday, held at Byde Mill – The Experience in St George.
“We’re hoping that there would be some uptick because there’s CARIFESTA within the next week, so we’re trusting that we would see some uptake. But it is a tough time for us in the group.”
The figures were consistent with previous years, Callender said.
“This is just custom. December through April is when there is a big uptick in visitor arrivals. Summer usually falls off, and that has been a trend now for years,” she added.
IHB Chairman Shireene Mathlin-Tulloch said a reduced number of flights during the summer had exacerbated the challenge.
“One of the things that the BTMI is working on really diligently is trying to get air into Barbados in the summer,” she said. “We lose a lot of our flights come the end of the winter season. It’s not like the flights are coming in empty, it’s just that we don’t have the seats.”
Acknowledging the increased pressure from Airbnb bookings, Callender said: “We have to make sure we keep our product relevant. We’re competing for the same dollar at the end of the day, be it your big hotel, a small hotel, Airbnb — it doesn’t matter. It’s just a matter of how you set yourself apart.”
To help members remain competitive, the IHB is boosting visibility, increasing online booking capabilities and encouraging property upgrades.
“We’re trying to up our game in terms of our brand and our presence,” Callender said. “We see Bajan hospitality and charm as a strength. That’s why we’ve partnered with Interior Avenue (Inc) to help members upscale and upgrade themselves.”
She also revealed that a new revenue management programme had been launched to help properties price more strategically.
“We now have the revenue manager portfolio open to members. We’re trying to come up with new initiatives and income streams to make sure members have new ways to make money,” she said.
Callender stressed that adjusting rates was crucial when rooms were empty.
“It goes without saying, you have to be able to pivot,” she said. “If occupancy is good, there’s no need to bend the rate. But if you’re seeing low occupancy, there needs to be some flexibility in how and when you move your rate. There’s nothing beneficial with an empty room.”
Thirty out of the association’s 38 members have already signed up for revenue management training.
“I think the interest is there. People realise the importance of being able to manipulate their rates,” Mathlin-Tulloch said.
Despite rising competition, she insisted IHB properties still hold a strong place in the tourism market.
“I’m a firm believer that there is room for everybody in this world,” Mathlin-Tulloch said. “Gen Zs . . . they’re not necessarily looking for high-end luxury properties. They’re looking for an experience, which is what we’re trying to sell — a Barbadian experience. Warm hospitality, a clean, comfortable place to stay, and the ability to go out and explore.”
The association has also formalised its partnership with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) this year, although officials said collaboration had been ongoing since 2022.
