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Tourism Background Barbados with its white sandy beaches, stable government and welcoming climate, became a destination for relaxation and recuperation long before it developed a formal tourist industry. During the first two centuries of colonization, sailors often stopped off at the island to replenish supplies and to enjoy nights of revelry. They chose Barbados because everything was in town (Bridgetown) or on the outskirts of town. Over the years, British nobility visited the island to enjoy its warm climate and beautiful scenery. On one such occasion in the 1780s, Prince William Henry ( later King William IV of England), who was a Naval captain at the time, and his men, stopped at the island and after a night of excessive indulgence by him and his men, a drunken brawl ensued. This resulted in extensive damage to the house/hotel where there were drinking. This house was owned by Rachel Pringle Polgreen, a mulatto and former slave. The Prince paid for the damages to the property and she used this money to repair and refurbish the home, which could be considered the island's first hotel (Royal Naval Hotel), into a more lavish accommodation. In addition to visits by British nobility the island has been visited by other foreign dignitaries, including a number of US presidents - George Washington 1751-1752, Ronald Reagan, April 1982, and Bill Clinton, in 1997. Between 1751 and 1752, George Washington, then age 19, (he later became president of the United States), visited the island for two months with his sick brother Lawrence hoping that the tropical climate would help cure his lung disease. They stayed at a house called Bush Hill House, Garrison, St. Michael, for two months. This was the only trip George Washington made outside of the United States. (Bush Hill House was later used as an office of Barbados Light & Power Company, but was acquired by the Barbados National Trust for restoration) In the succeeding years, guest houses or "holiday" homes were built on the island in areas such as Bathsheba and Cattlewash in St. Joseph and some hotels were established along the island's south coast. Wealthy Europeans and affluent Barbadian's living on the island vacationed in these areas. However, it was not until the 1950s that the development and promotion of tourism formally started after earnings from sugar steadily declined. The Barbados Hotel Association (BHA), a private association, was founded in 1952. The Barbados Hotel Association was later renamed the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) and the Tourist Board, a government body, was established in 1958. The tourist industry gradually developed and early hotels which were mainly located on the South Coast were joined by hotels along the West Coast. Tourism Today Today, Barbados is a first class, luxury tourist destination, with a wide range of amenities and entertainment, restaurants, elegant, lavish or boutique hotels, beach front apartments, villas or guest house rentals as well as time share facilities. There are also accommodations for the budget conscious. The island possesses a modern high-tech airport, Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI, named after the first Premier of the island) and the Barbados cruise ship terminal, located on the waterfront in Bridgetown, is one of the most modern in the Caribbean. The Grantley Adams International Airport is about 30 minutes from Bridgetown and is serviced by a large number of international airlines. There is duty free shopping at the airport, the cruise ship terminal, at hotels and various stores located in Bridgetown, as well as on the south and west coasts. Besides shopping, Barbados offers those tourist who want to do more that just relax on the beach and enjoy the island's soothing climate and the hospitality of the people, the opportunity to travel around the island by bus, taxi or rental cars, ( driving is on the left hand side of the road and information regarding driving licensing requirements is available at hotels, rental car companies), and enjoy a unique local experience without the need for a guide. You can join the Barbados National Trust for a hike on Sunday mornings,( check their "Calendar of Hikes)," or immerse yourself in the island's history by visiting the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. You can also visit its multitude of attractions by traveling around the island via the comprehensive networks of roads. While driving around the island you can also take advantage of the nearly twenty postal facilities located around the island and send scenic postcards and packages of local products to your loved ones, friends and family. see postal info Barbados has continued to refine its tourism product to include more than just, sun, sea and sand and tourists can experience various cultural or heritage events (such as, the Holetown festival and the Crop Over Festival) and a wide variety of sports including cricket and golf . (Barbados is a golfer's "paradise" and it was chosen to host the 2006 World Golf Championships World Cup tournament, December 5- 10, 2006) and to host Cricket 2007 World Cup second round of matches and the Final in April 2007). For more activities, see Entertainment The island has also focused on ecotourism by preserving and enhancing geographical attractions and areas of natural beauty for example: Harrison's Cave, a natural phenomenon, where you see conical shaped stalagmites built up on the floor of the cave and icicle shaped stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave, and the Greame Hall Swamp and Nature Sanctuary, a mangrove swamp and natural habitat, which provides a tranquil area for bird watching. Tourism has now become the largest foreign exchange earner and in the 1980s the number of visitors exceeded the island's population and the number of arrivals have continued to increase. In 1995, the Barbados Tourism Authority was established. It's role is to "promote and assist and facilitate the efficient development of tourism." Special Note: When arriving in Barbados be sure to look for signs which announce the rates for a taxi (cab) ride to various hotels or neighborhoods. Please note that these are general guidelines and not all areas of the island are specifically mentioned in the guidelines. All visitors must have valid passports and must also have onward or return tickets to their country of residence or origin. QUICK FACTS ABOUT BARBADOS
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