Barbados Tourism Marketing in partnership with the Royal Caribbean Group hosted a three-day national recruitment drive in Barbados. The job fair was organized as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both sides in April at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami; its purpose is to create opportunities for high-quality employment in the local tourism industry of Barbados. With positions spanning a number of disciplines, the Royal Caribbean Group will employ several ships returning home to the Caribbean during the winter cruise season.

The event was held at the Sir Garfield Sobers sports complex and at end of the first round gathered about 500 people interested to join the cruise industry.

“We are very encouraged by the number of applicants who turned out for the partnership recruitment event hosted by Royal Caribbean Group and the government of Barbados,” said Wendy McDonald, regional vice president, government relations for the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Group. 

“We have met some very qualified and excited candidates, and we look forward to welcoming them to help us deliver the best vacation experiences to our guests.”

“The best ambassadors for the destination of Barbados are Barbadians and as part of our tourism marketing strategy, we want to ensure that Barbadians, who are known for their excellence in hospitality and service, have the opportunity to represent the destination, not only on the cruise ships, but wherever they go in the world.” said Senator the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport for Barbados.

“Through this initiative, Barbadians will benefit from the best opportunities for personal and professional growth and development while at the same time being the best ambassadors for destination Barbados.”

Cruise development is a major focus for Barbados, especially as the country moves toward establishing a strong cruise presence in Miami and fostering closer relationships with cruise partners such as the Royal Caribbean Group.

The expanded office in Miami will give Barbados greater access to the World Cruise Center and enable greater cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the foreign agencies of Barbados in North America.