BRIDGETOWN — Barbados has reduced its airport service charge from US$35 to US$20.

An announcement from Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. says the reduction was made in an effort to increase regional travel to the island.

The reduction will be in place until Dec. 14, 2023.

Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, indicated that the six-month reduction is intended to stimulate CARICOM travel to Barbados.

Minister Gooding-Edghill noted that the cost of inter-regional travel was high and to “stimulate the local market” this measure was being implemented.

“So, we’ve taken that decision. We recognize that the CARICOM market is price sensitive [and] we recognize if we are going to drive traffic to the destination in the absence of having what was LIAT in its former form, then we had to take the necessary steps to make the adjustments.”

“We took this step because we felt confident that a reduction in the airport service charge will stimulate travel within the region and also ensure that we get more arrivals from the Caribbean into Barbados,” he added.

The Ministry has also been working with regional airlines, such as Air Antilles and interCaribbean, to increase the number of weekly flights to the island. “I am pleased to say, based on the load factors coming out of both regional carriers, that we are seeing an increase in the number of arrivals from within CARICOM,” said Gooding-Edghill.