Barbados Food and Rum Festival breaks records: Largest tourist turnout ever

Barbados is boasting bigger numbers of tourist arrivals for this year’s Food and Rum Festival. This was confirmed by the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), Andrea Franklin, at the sold-out Rise & Rum Breakfast Beach Party held recently at Harbour Lights, Bay Street, St Michael. 

She said that this year had been the largest number of visitors the island has recorded based on ticket sales and added that her team knows that there were so many more people who would have come who, unfortunately, have not been to get tickets to the festival, but would have come to the island at this time because of all the promotion the team would have done around the festival. 

Franklin added, “So, certainly, it has taken us a while to get here and, like anything new, we have to build it, we have to build awareness, but the efforts are being rewarded.”

It is reported that there was a large turnout at the Rum and Rise Breakfast Party, with attendees decked out in vibrant shades of yellow, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere. The event was part of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival.

Notably, the 2024 Barbados Food and Rum Festival officially kicked off last week at Oistins Bay Garden with Oistins Under The Stars. 

The attendees enjoyed a night filled with vibrant music, food and atmosphere. The four-day event from October 24 to 27, 2024 attracted a huge crowd with hundreds and thousands of individuals attending the events and dancing to their fullest. 

The ultra-premium grand finale of the event was a huge feast on Sunday, October 27 which was the Ultimate Foodie Dream Weekend. 

The finale featured mouth watering cuisine by Chef Trevon Stoute, Chef Jamal Whittaker, Chef Nicholas Ifill, Chef Damian Leach, Chef Javon Cummins, Chef Steffi Batson, Chef Marie Leach, Chef Esther James and Chef Stephanie Sayers.

The delicious food marked the perfect culmination of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival 2024 with the turnout one for the history books.