For decades Barbados has been the destination of choice for hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of whom return to our shores year after year. In fact Barbados is the leading English-speaking island destination in the Southern Caribbean for North American, British and European tourists.
Having established itself as a leading Caribbean tourism destination, Barbados recognises the need to continue developing its tourism product.
Our local dialect is referred to as "Bajan" just as our people are. It is a mixture of broken English with an accent inspired by various African languages brought over by the slaves.
The Bajan dialect is totally and completely limitless. Individual words usually have multiple meanings, for example, "dis" which means "this" and means to disrespect or to fail to acknowledge someone or something.
Eating out in Barbados is pricier compared to other Caribbean islands. Expect to pay around £20pp in a mid-range restaurant. There is an eclectic choice of food available, with everything from global cuisine served in smart, world-renowned restaurants, such as The Cliff, to Bajan fare available in street markets such as Oistins. Replica British pubs are popular and serve genuine British bitter and stout - often with fish-and-chip bar snacks. There are more than 100 rum shops across the island, which are simple, sometimes shabby, but always friendly where policeman and locals sip a mid-afternoon drink, it’s something to be experienced. A smoking ban in public places was enforced in October 2010 and anyone caught breaking it could face a fine or imprisonment.
The dollar has been the currency of Barbados since 1935. The present dollar has the ISO 4217 code BBD and is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign "$" or, alternatively, "Bds$" to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents. On 9 March 2009 it was reported that the international rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) rated the currency of Barbados as "A-/A-2".
