Employees at the newly renovated Chukka Caribbean Adventures-managed Harrison’s Cave Eco-Adventure Park all agree that the polite and inviting nature of locals in Barbados is possibly the number one reason for the high return rate of tourists to the island as well as the country’s recovery following the economic fallout occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This observation, however, was first made by Chukka Caribbean Adventures CEO Marc Melville, who shared with the Jamaica Observer that he finds the people of Barbados to be the real “treasure” of the island’s tourism industry as they are patient, well-mannered and have a mindset for service. His comment was enough to prompt this reporter to investigate while covering the unveiling of the upgraded Harrison’s Cave facility in St Thomas, Barbados, earlier this month.

As such, Sunday Finance spoke to employees at the tourism attraction in separate interviews, gaining insight into the country’s tourism industry and culture of service.

“Bajans are very warm, they’re very welcoming. It’s more a laid-back culture and people tend to warm to us and we welcome them to our homes,” Andrea Franklin, Chukka Caribbean Adventures country manager, shared.

“So it’s just our culture and that’s why we have one of the highest repeat visitor rates in the Caribbean,” she continued.

Moreover, Franklin pointed to the safety of the country both in terms of crime and violence and the surge in COVID-19 cases. She also said the island’s infrastructure, such as properly maintained roads and Wi-Fi, were pull factors for tourists to return to Barbados.

Like Franklin, Sales and Marketing Manager Leah Roach agrees that the temperament of her fellow Bajans has a role to play in the vibrancy of the country’s tourism product.

“You will find Bajans have a warm and welcoming nature to them. So you will find that persons are quite helpful, they are always wanting to welcome you, even if it’s into their homes sometimes. So I think it’s a general warmth of the Bajan culture,” she emphasised.

Having worked with the Chukka group since June last year, she believes the enhancement to the Harrison’s Cave attraction will also play a role in attracting visitors to the island.

“A lot of persons tend to marry the tourism industry with the hotels but for me, being trained in hospitality and tourism, it taught you that attractions and attraction development are a huge part of tourism in a country, and that’s what I’ve always been interested in,” she told Sunday Finance.

With this in mind, she commends the Chukka team for “an amazing development” that was the result of seeing “outside of the box…a vision of creating a whole-day package where people can experience thrills and learn history and enjoy nature in one total package”.

Though she admits that the developments might have spurred Bajans to demand accountability in terms of environmental protection, Roach argued that the new instalments at the facility were “purpose-built” to co-exist with the ecology of the Harrison’s Cave property.

She, however, reiterates that, “It’s not just the attraction but it’s the people that make it what it is. So you have the warmth of our staff who are welcoming and helpful and willing to assist you and that is big here at Harrison’s Cave.”

Mario Alleyne, an adventure specialist, shares the same sentiments about the development of the facility, but more so of the demeanour of his countrymen.

Affectionately known as “Super Mario” for his expertise around the discipline and challenge course, he said the latter, for some visitors, is reminiscent of the course in American Ninja Warrior, an American television show about men and women using athleticism, flexibility and wit to navigate through various obstacle courses.

“So this being something new… a lot of persons like it and want to complete the course and know their time. And the kids like it as well,” he explained.

Alleyne confessed that prior to his current role, he was in the automotive industry but “felt a calling” to help people

“This is not really my field. Before coming to Chukka I’ve been taught a lot about the tourism industry and helping persons have a good time here and then sharing with them our culture here in Barbados,” he stated.

“We here in Barbados are loving persons. We like to entertain guests, so it is good for us and the patrons as well,” he added.

Just about 21 kilometres away — or 30 minutes’ drive — is the Mount Gay Distillery in the northern parish of St Lucy, historically known for being the birthplace of rum. With its origin in 1703, the distillery’s spirit is another of Barbados’s world-renowned brand.

While Mount Gay Distillery offers visitors tours of the sugar estate and factory, providing them with historical insight into making sugar and rum, Chukka Caribbean Adventures has combined the two iconic histories into one location by creating the Mount Gay Rum Tasting Room and Museum. There tourists can sample the distillery’s three signature rums while being educated about the science and history behind them.

Rico Worrell, otherwise known as “Chico Rico”, a tour guide and the rum guide at Harrison’s Cave, shared that his role involves “welcoming [visitors] to the island” while exposing them to its biodiversity. Having also worked at Mount Gay Distillery and at its kiosk in the Grantley Adams International Airport, he considers himself a “cultural ambassador”.

“It’s an expression of me as a young man from Barbados,” he disclosed.

Worrell approves of Chukka’s transformation of Harrison’s Cave, including incorporating the rum tasting experience, calling the initiatives “next level” and noting that it adds value to to the attraction.

“I think it’s a good partnership…that can definitely go far. It’s a partnership that’s a great example of what business models could be because here we have an eco-adventure park that does a rum tasting. So I think it’s a new concept but one that should be for the future,” he outlined.

Educated in mass communication and having worked at the Central Bank of Barbados, he said that he did’t expect to learn so much about the history and heritage of his country. Today, though, he uses his training to educate people about the same information.

Touting the Chukka tagline “Time to play”, Worrell said families can pack their bags and come a spend a full day at Harrison’s Cave exploring various activities.

“Everybody gets exposure. Everybody who comes to Harrison’s Cave can potentially leave as Mount Gay Rum ambassador. Even when you sign up for the signature park pass…and learn about the history of sugar and rum,” he stated.

Still, like his colleagues he highlights that the human element contribution to the Barbados tourism industry cannot be discounted.

“We are very resilient, we’re very intelligent. A lot has been invested in our education system and they say ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’, and we have some of the most passionate people, some of the most intelligent people, some of the most privileged people [in a country] that has its own identity and uniqueness with regards to natural resource coming together and basically welcoming you and teaching about what we do,” Worrell told Sunday Finance.

“It’s the future as well — experiential tourism; that is where tourism in the world is going, where persons want to come and live like a local,” he continued.

Barbados tourist arrivals for 2022 totalled 442,576, representing a 206 per cent increase over 2021 figures and 127 per cent more than 2020 numbers. This is, however, short of the 692,658 tourists who visited the island in 2019, pre-COVID.