TUI Makes All-Out Expansion in Barbados

Tui will up its flight capacity to Barbados this winter, as well as homeporting two of its largest cruise ships in the Caribbean island and adding more partner hotels.

Due to growing demand, the travel giant will increase its winter flights to Barbados from seven to eight per week, flying from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. It will also lay on two ‘rover’ flights departing from various UK airports weekly. All-in-all, the flights will accommodate 54,000 passengers travelling to Barbados this winter.

Two of Tui’s largest cruise vessels - Marella Explorer 2 and Marella Discovery - will also homeport in Barbados’ capital Bridgetown for the first time this winter. Together they will operate a total of 40 sailing rotations until April 2023, adding a month of additional cruising to the winter previous season.

Marella Explorer 2, which has a capacity for 1,850 passengers, will operate weekly from 20 November, while Marella Discovery will sail weekly from 22 December, carrying up to 1,800 guests.

In addition, the majority of A and B-class hotels in Barbados are now available to book through Tui’s Barbados programme - either for an entire holiday or pre- and post-cruise.

TUI has been selling holidays to the island since 2011 and has built its capacity almost every year, in which time Barbados Tourism Marketing director Cheryl Carter said the island had seen cruise passengers grow by 189%.