The Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) has launched the BookBarbadosNow.com online travel agency. The website, developed with Regatta Travel Solutions, has a prominent goal – becoming the primary resource for information, hotel and activity bookings in Barbados.
As more travelers plan and book their holidays online, having a centralized resource for Barbados holidays is a smart move. Barbados is not the first travel destination to use the OTA Software just released by Regatta. It follows in the steps of Puerto Rico and will benefit from all the support Regatta can provide to attract more tourists and cut booking costs.
“We evaluated several companies for this project,” said Sue Springer, Executive Vice President of BHTA. “But Regatta is the only system that is specifically designed to handle everything we were looking for. The combination of the advanced technology and the marketing knowledge that they bring to the table is very attractive to us.”
The BHTA and Regatta announced that the version of the Barbados online travel agency that’s currently up and running is only an initial phase. They also happily report it has already generated bookings in Barbados.
We are delighted to hear this is just an initial phase, because the site looks old, there’s no real navigation and searching the hotels is a nightmare. First off, the web address the two have promoted in the official press release does not take you to the homepage. It takes travelers to a list of hotels in the region.
To access the search options, you actually have to click Home and a long list of search options is displayed. Don’t think that selecting a few options will bring up a selection of hotels. No, you first select your interests and preferences, then if there are any results, you enter your arrival and departure dates in the search box on the left and hit the search button.
Other than the home page and the list of hotels that is not accessible from the said Home, there are no about pages or contact details. Nor are there any other details except for hotel descriptions.
So right now, the Barbados online travel agency is nothing more than a hotel directory. We look forward to useful travel advice for those that want to visit Barbados, activities that they will be able to book and all the other details that are missing now and which would eventually help them reach the goal they have so boldly set. Good luck!
By Amey MyersAmey, an intrepid traveler and avid blogger, roams the world, absorbing diverse cultures, flavors, and experiences. Her writing captures the essence of her adventures, inspiring others to explore. Amey's infectious passion for travel and storytelling epitomizes a life filled with exploration and adventure.
