Dominica and Barbados have signed an agreement to collaborate and promote their tourism products by enhancing multi-destination packages that have been offered. The partnership will mark a significant step towards deepening the regional ties and delivering greater value to the travellers.
The MOU was signed by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) and Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) on Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025 at Hilton Barbados Resort during the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC). The agreement will strengthen the appeal of both the countries to promote sustainable tourism and develop new vacation experiences for the visitors.
This association establishes a joint framework for cooperation, that focuses on marketing, knowledge exchange, as the Caribbean continues to attract travellers from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Latin America by seeking diverse and enriching experiences.
The agreement signed by the two Caribbean nations marks the key areas, such as:
- To curate and promote multi-destination tourism packages that highlights the unique cultural, eco-tourism, adventure and wellness offerings of Barbados and Dominica.
- Support the development of air and cruise connections to facilitate seamless travel between islands.
- To coordinate media exchanges, media familiarisation tours, joint training and public relations events to raise the profile of both destinations globally.
- Share expertise in sustainable tourism and product enhancement to ensure the lasting benefits for local communities and the environment.
Mutual Benefit and Creative Collaboration for Regional Unity
CEO of the BTMI – Andrea Franklin and CEO and Director of DDA – Marva Williams signed on behalf of their organisations. While, the Chief Operations Officers of BTMI – Cheryl Carter, BTMI’s Director for the Caribbean – Graham Clarke and marketing Executive at DDA – Lise Cuffy, witnessed the signing.
Franklin, CEO of BTMI acknowledged Barbados, the Gem of the Caribbean as a tourism leader and said that the MoU would be mutually beneficial and emphasised the need for creative collaboration and regional unity.
She said that Dominica may see Barbados as a tourism grandparent, but there is so much that we can learn from each other. Barbados is proud to be the premier home port cruising destination in the region, and they see this as an opportunity to attract more business to their neighbouring islands as well.
Andrea Franklin further added that the MoU serves as a stepping-stone and could open doors to similar agreements with other islands. She stated that when it comes to attracting airlift to the region, it’s vital that they stop viewing themselves as individual countries competing for flights.
She urged that they must work together to bring more airlift into the Caribbean. She mentioned that Barbados serves as the hub and they should channel the connectivity to the sister islands, such as Dominica, by ensuring benefits of all destinations.
She further described that their teams will meet to strategise on marketing and to engage airlines and cruise lines by ensuring that they maximise the benefits of this partnership. They are excited to collaborate in areas such as sports, eco-tourism, and sustainable tourism, which are important for the future of Caribbean Travel.
CEO of DDA Marva Williams supported CEO Franklin and underlined the value in leveraging the already strong relationship between the nations. They intend to ensure its benefits financially for both the destinations.
Williams assured that this collaboration is part of a larger conversation and they are looking forward to learn from Barbados which will help in building greater awareness and create a ripple effect on the GDP and economic opportunities for both the countries.
She further confirmed that they have unique attributes to offer, and the partnership is not just about tourism, it is about exploring the opportunities in other industries, such as manufacturing, that can benefit both the nations.
This partnership between Barbados – the Gem of the Caribbean and Dominica – the Nature Isle, marks a significant step toward deepening regional ties and delivering greater value to travellers. She added that this collaboration will improve air access which is essential for the people who can move around the Caribbean efficiently and effectively.
Considering the historical aspects, the Caribbean nations have recognised the value of working together to attract long-haul visitors by allowing the travellers to experience the diversity in a single trip of the regions.