BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC- The Barbados government has announced that it is working with the Commonwealth Secretariat in crafting a strategy to assist the island in cashing in on the US 600 million dollar sports tourism market.
Tourism Minister Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner made the announcement during the Pan American Sport Organization’s dinner celebrations at Hilton Barbados Sunday night.
She said sports tourism contributed 10 to 14 per cent of all travel and tourism receipts and, therefore, the effort would be undertaken in collaboration with the Barbados Tourism Authority and the Division of Sports.
Senator Sandiford-Garner said that there are in excess of 60 sporting disciplines that are practised in the island and had taken sports, including cycling, boxing, judo, swimming, yachting, shooting and track and field, to the Olympics.
“Our record will show that we also have a record of excellence in the likes of the Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers – the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen – Obadele Thompson, bronze medalist in the 100 metres at the Sydney Olympics; Ryan Brathwaite, gold medalist in the 110 metres hurdles in the 2009 World Championships; and Patrick Husbands, champion jockey in Canada and the Caribbean to name a few,” she underlined.
