Record numbers of British holidaymakers will be spending Christmas in the Caribbean this year. But the Bahamas is not among their top ten destinations, according to figures released yesterday.
In fact, British prime minister Tony Blair, soccer superstar Wayne Rooney and veteran pop singer Sir Cliff Richard are among British big-spenders who prefer Barbados for their sunshine breaks. And their choice is shared by thousands of their countrymen.
Barbados, Miami, Orlando, Antigua and the Dominican Republic are all listed by the London Evening Standard in the top ten Christmas destinations for Brits favouring a long-haul break from their country’s winter gloom.
Bouyant
But the Bahamas doesn’t rate a mention, even though European traffic to Nassau and the islands has been quite buoyant in recent years.
For both 2003 and 2004, Barbados was number one choice with Florida and Dubai in the Middle East figuring in the top three long-haul resorts.
The latest top ten are Barbados, Dubai, Orlando, Goa, Tenerife, Sydney, Miami, New York, Antigua and Maldives. The Dominican Republic came eighth in last year’s poll.
Caroline Law, of the Travel Counsellors agency, said nine out of their top ten Christmas destinations this year were long-haul.
“More people are taking advantage of the longer break this year, with two bank holidays in a row, to travel to long-haul destinations such as Dubai or the Caribbean.”
The British are said to be abandoning traditional Christmases at home to escape family tensions and the foul weather.
Psychotherapist Phillip Hodson said British people were tired of the typically stressful family Christmas.
“We set Christmas up to be this beacon, this icon at a grotty time of the year when we are all pretty run-down,” he said.
“But people are saying they don’t care about the traditional Christmas anymore.
“We are being a bit more self-centred and saying ‘what we need is a break, what we don’t need is a stressful time cooking for thousands of people’.
“There is also the problem of which of the families are we going to spend Christmas with. A lot of people say ‘to hell with it, let’s go away’.”
Mr Hodson said the British were “less well” in the winter. “It is really to do with the amount of sunshine,” he said.
So why does the Bahamas lose out to other Caribbean area destinations? Prices are certainly a major factor, according to travel agency sources in London.
Service
While Barbados is now seen as an affordable, friendly destination offering good service, the Bahamas is still rated too “upscale and pricey” for many Europeans.
Miami, Orlando and the Dominican Republic are also rated significantly cheaper, even though they offer many of the same attractions, including oodles of winter sun.
It’s also likely that the British prefer the English feel of Barbados, which has been independent since 1966 but still cherishes its colonial roots.
With its rolling hills, lush valleys and splendid beaches, the 21-mile long island also retains many British features and social rituals. Afternoon tea and dressing for dinner are still common, though ‘Bajans’ reject any suggestion of stuffiness.
The Bahamas, though it waited seven years longer for independence, has become much more focused on the American way of life over the last 30 years.
Its tourist industry has also targeted the North American market, with European trade rated a secondary source of revenue.
The Tribune
