Travellers can expect a certain flare in the air, with locals revelling in Bajan pride throughout 2024.
An adventure oasis, Barbados has multiple opportunities for thrill seekers including the newly renovated Echo Adventure Park at Harrison’s Cave featuring zip lines and rum tasting. The The Kensington Oval venue in Barbados will host the FINAL along with 8 other matches in the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup to be played in the Caribbean and the USA in June 2024. Celebrating its ties with Scotland and Wales, the Barbados Celtic Festival, also takes place on May 15-19, features folk performances from top Celtic entertainers and includes several Bajan-Celtic themed events, such as pipe band displays, traditional Scottish and Irish dancing, and folk music set against a tropical background.
As the “birthplace of rum,” the island’s top rum producers are making major moves in sustainability. The West Indies Rum Distillery is the first distillery in the Caribbean to achieve the Bonsucro Chain of Custody certification, which recognizes responsible sourcing and trading. The distillery also installed a million-dollar solar energy plant as it makes efforts to reach carbon-neutrality by 2030.
A pair of new luxury hotels now grace the pristine shoreline – Sam Lords Castle, a Wyndham Resort, which opened in February 2024, and Indigo Hotel Barbados, which is slated to open in late 2024. Sam Lord's Castle a 422-room beachfront property located just 15 minutes from Grantley Adams International Airport offers an all-inclusive luxury experience, distinguished by its commitment to green-living and well-being, making it one of the first distinctly eco-luxury and sustainably designed properties in the Caribbean. Indigo Hotel is a 132-room hotel will provide the iconic luxury service from the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG).
This summer marks the return of the beloved Crop Over festival, complete with rich and colourful décor, celebrations and Bajan cuisine. Later in the fall, the annual Food & Rum Festival will once again remind the world why Barbados is the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.