Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill has announced that the airport tax for Caribbean travelers to Barbados has been slashed by 43 percent as part of a series of measures to boosts arrivals from the region, especially for Crop Over and the rest of the summer.

He was speaking in the House of Assembly as he provided a  comprehensive tourism update following a series of meetings with tourism partners overseas.

Mr. Gooding-Edghill reports that summer bookings overall are growing and announced further measures to boost arrivals including an incentive in the form of a travel credit and specially arranged additional airlift.

The tourism minister says that given the problems with international airlift, Barbados will be seek to arrange more charters to boost the number of seats into Barbados at reasonable.

He disclosed that Barbados is already planning to arrange charters for Crop Over next year.

Meantime, for tourism arrivals overall, the numbers are up.