Since we posted this blog awhile back it has been receiving hits galore. Believe it or not the top searches on the Internet which stumbled on Barbados Underground blog were ‘homosexuality’ and ‘nude beaches’. This little BU statistic provoked a little thinking which pushed us to ask, why not? Why can’t we have a nude beach(s) in Barbados? Our tourist product is becoming a little tired and the people who have been driving it for the past fourteen years appear to be all out of imagination. Their solution is to spend more marketing dollars. Guess what Barbados, we are starting to get stiff competition from Grenada, St, Lucia and the other neighbouring islands. They have the natural beauty which the traditional tourist yearns, and they can buy it at a significantly reduced price when compared to Barbados.
Heaven help us when the current myopic United States foreign policy removes its embargo on Cuba and it becomes an unfettered option as a world travel destination. What we can we do in Barbados to diversify our product?
We are tired about hearing about heritage tourism because that will not cut it. We simply do not have the kind of attractions that can attract droves of tourists to Barbados using the heritage tag. We would need attractions the equivalent to the Kaieteur Falls, Soufriere Volcano, Blue Mountains, Cuisine of the Caribbean (we don’t get a notable mention as a destination rich in cuisine delights of the Caribbean), the architecture, we could go on. Of course Barbados has a lot going for it, a highly developed island with high standard of living, good telecommunication infrastructure, stable political climate etc. Unfortunately the majority of tourists who we target are quite accustomed to most of the attractions we have to offer. The sea and sand sell can’t be our only drawing card because other destinations have it in great abundance at a more affordable price.
Now that the US economy seems ready to ease into a recession and even if it doesn’t air travel to Barbados from our traditional markets is increasing out of all reason, some tough decisions will have to be made on both sides. The tourist will examine travel markets where they can get more for less and Barbados must examine its tourism product to target non traditional tourists. We know that the highly religious society of Barbados will not think about the homosexual market. But there is another tourist segment which is out there which maybe beckoning the Barbados authorities. Naturalists in Europe especially are looking for more nude beaches to bare their assets.
Adrian Loveridge and the Barbados Tourism Authority over to you!
Barbados Underground 
I’d be there in a heartbeat – but at this rate there’ll be no beach left to leave my thong bikini on.
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Once we have a nude beach, the next Holder’s season could have a nude opera.
Ever noticed that those wanting nude beaches are usually elderly Europeans (mostly Germans) who want to parade around naked. Sadly, most of these bodies are well paast their “best before” dates.
I saw some people parading in Cuba on the beach, please, give me a break. Keep those fat assed, big bellied tourists covered up and we dont want the young ones assaulted or raped. That would not be good for the tourism ‘product’ either.
Nude beaches – No.Not yet.
Let’s try topless beaches first and see how many tourist that attracts.
As my name is mentioned, I would like to comment.
One of the phrases used by the new Minister of Tourism which sticks in my mind, is that we need to think ‘out of the box’.
As someone that has spent almost his entire life (42 years) in marketing tourism, usually with a microscopic budget, our (Barbados) current approach is wrong.
Google ‘Barbados tourism’ and included in the first few headlines is the Best of Barbados promotion.
US$379 includes return flights (from US gateways), 7 nights and Silver Sands Hotel, daily complimentary breakfast, one room night free, Oistins Fish Fry voucher (US$25) and a whole pile of discounts on attractions/ car rental etc.
Direct cost to Barbadian taxpayer = US$200 or US$300 in September.
For hotels operating on a room rate of US$100 or less per night the country actually looses money on these packages.
For that same US$379 ‘we’ are lucky if we can get a return flight to St. Kitts or Nevis, let alone any accommodation or meals.
Figures have just been released for the first quarter of 2008 showing a ten percent increase in long stay visitors, but not a single journalist pointed out that there was a significant loss over the same period in 2007 due to CWC.
For the first FOUR months of 2007 which included the Super Eights and Final we actually ended up with a net gain of only 44 persons over the same period in 2006.
And we have lost yet another airline come this November.
This time out of the UK, Excel (XL)
and we have already had cancellations as a result.
‘THINKING OUT OF THE BOX’ has to become a working reality and not simply rhetoric.
And just to add after reading the front page article entitled ‘Change attitude towards tourism’ in the Barbados Advocate today.
‘More has to be done to encourage Barbadians to visit the attractions that are on this island’.
Totally agree, and that is exactly what our original re-DISCOVER programme was (and still is) all about.
This year the BTA has stepped up its co-sponsorship of the re-DISCOVER the Caribbean Show which will see it televised live across 22 Caribbean territories via CaribVision.
Long Beach used to be a nude beach (unofficially).Then there was the nude camp in Mangrove years ago (I remember this vividly). And that was at a time when we were more conservative.
Until Barbados improves customer service no amount of “live TV across 22 Caribbean territories” (from where very little tourism comes anyway) will stop visitors avoiding Barbados and going elsewhere.
Case in point.
Swiss 3rd-time visitors to the island last week vowed never to return. At breakfast (in a non-all-inclusive very expensive West Coast hotel) the waitress a) Didn’t bring anything, b) Brought coffee but no milk, c) Brought milk but took no orders for food, d) Took food orders but only for corn flakes, etc. and said “I’ll take your main order when I come back”, e) Didn’t bring corn flakes until guests complained, f) Still didn’t take main course order, e) Took main order but didn’t top-up coffee, f) Visitors waited 15 minutes for main dish, g), h), i), j) & k) I could go on.
Incidentally, there were only three other couples in the restaurant at the same time and all this is precisely as it happened because I was there.
(Name of hotel withheld. But it could be one of many.)
Always three sides to a story guy.
Sorry ….. just finding it difficult to digest, that a 3 time visitor to this island would arrive at this decision based on a ‘breakfast incident’.
The again …I could be wrong.
Technician – You prove the point. Thinking the way you do is exactly why people avoid places with lousy service.
Krzsztof Skvbiszewski
‘from where very little tourism comes anyway’
Actually the Carribbean is Barbados’s third largest market. Above arrivals from Canada, even after a really horrible long winter.
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // April 13, 2008 at 11:09 am
Technician – You prove the point. Thinking the way you do is exactly why people avoid places with lousy service.
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Like I said, I may be wrong.
Is is a crime to disagree with you?
I work in customer service and I for one NEVER believed in the stupid saying of the customer is always right. I have come across some of the most demeaning and condescending tourists in my time, therefore I take these reports with a pinch of salt.
There is a difference between service and servitude.
Like I said ……Then again, I could be wrong.
I suggest Technician gets out of customer service immediately if he/she thinks the customer is never right. Ask the managers of successful hotels, the most frequented restaurants, the bosses at C&W, BS&T, BL&P, ScotiaBank, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. They will tell you maintaining “satisfactory customer service” is their constant daily battle.
xenophobe chick // April 13, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I suggest Technician gets out of customer service immediately if he/she thinks the customer is never right. Ask the managers of successful hotels, the most frequented restaurants, the bosses at C&W, BS&T, BL&P, ScotiaBank, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. They will tell you maintaining “satisfactory customer service” is their constant daily battle.
———————————————————————–
Please read my post correctly. I said I Never believed in the saying. I never said they were never right.
When someone has a legitimate grouse with service then so be it. It is always in the best interest to satisfy them.
The other side of the coin is that they are those who are never satisfied, who think that it is their god given right as tourists to abuse and degrade the workers because they figure they must be right and our lives depend on the job.
If this little piece of reality strikes the wrong chord with you ..well ..to bad but that is how it is.
Like I said before ..there is service and servitude.
We still deep in our colonial hearts think of Barbados as “Little England”. Britain has Britan Beach [nudist], most of our tourist are from Britain. Why not a nudist beach. The novalty would wear off after a while. Some of them don’t worth looking at in any case, they just want to get a FULL TAN. By the way, there are a few secluded beaches mainly in St. Philip, that has been nudist beaches for years.
That beach is BRIGHTAN BEACH
“When someone has a legitimate grouse with service then so be it. It is always in the best interest to satisfy them….like I said before, there is service and servitude”
Hey Technician, you sound like you could be the waitress who served us in a West Coast cafe today: not openly rude, but with a sullen, unsmiling, resentful, grudging attitude…
The posters above are right. You’re in the wrong industry, skipper. It’s “customer service” (what a joke ) people like you that are giving Bajans such a bad rep (with locals and tourists alike)…
The problem with a nude beach is the double-standard of moral values in Barbados.
Barbados culture is highly sexual, with wukking up as a representation of it. Barbadians love to see a good looking girl (or guy), tiny swimwear, and a hint of tease.
However, it is unlawful to bring porn into the island (magazines, videos). There was even a furore that the offshore company funding Naked News was based here.
The One-Day Christian society of publicly praising moral behaviour, but completely wanting and enjoying immoral behaviour, is the impediment to anything seen as sexual.
Until society can embrace open-mindedness you won’t get a proper nude beach.
Also, the cultural immaturity would have flocks of lads going to the beach to scope out topless / nude women (more so than current). Can you imagine the beach harassment?
Nude beaches work well in a country where there is no mystique about sex or sexuality.
AL
You are so out to sea with your thoughts. How are u coping with the BTA board
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I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH DOUBLE STANDARDS. WITH ALL THE DECLINE IN MORALS IN SOCIETY TODAY WHY WOULD U SEE NUDITY AT BEACHES IN BARBADOS AS A BOAST FOR TOURISM? THIS WORLD REALLY NEEDS JESUS AND RIGHT NOW AS HE IS COMING SOON. JUST READ THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN THE HOLY BIBLE. U R FREE TO CHOOSE ANY VERSION.
Living in Europe but going to Barbados,I don`t
think the island is ready for nudebeaches.
Like earlier commented here,the double moral is to high,and the men are too sexist.
And by a community with highly sexist men,the women get highly pissed off and would never really tolerate tourist walking around on their beach,naked.
I can remember 7 years ago on a public beach in Barbados.
I went alone to relax and read a book while tanning.
I had bikini on and looked and acted normal.
Anyway I was badly sexually harassed with some of the local “brothers” and the were rally rude in their mouth.
It was shocking for me.
They also harassed two englishbajan girls on holiday the same way,and in the end the girls packed their stuff and left,crying.
With this episode in mind,I hope there never will be public nude beaches in Barbados,because local people are not ready mentally for behaving good among nudity and the oppposite sex on their own.
I have also had other sad episodes with men not behaving too good in Barbados,mainly because I am a quite goodlooking,smiling mixed -race woman on my own -without a “bodyguard”?
And I behave as i do in Europe-with normal dignity.
To change sexist thinking in Barbados,you have to start at school and at home ,as I have said earlier.
Its sad to reweal,but my most bad experiences
with men,comes from the beautiful island in the sun where I have some of my roots.:-/
The religious front kills me, talk about double standards, look in the Old Testament – right there is Adam and Eve, they were naked, and they were the closest to God.
Oh Gosh, the Horror (the lack of clothes part, NOT the close to God part).
Stop using God as a reason for what YOU don’t like…. if He wanted you covered he would have made you hairy.
I guess the question really is: Are we highly sexed because it is hidden from us?
The answer to that question, should give us the answer to everything else.
I’m all for topless beaches. Either that or men should have to cover-up as well.
But that may just be a wish for equality….
I went to Barbados recently and after reading this thread visited Long Beach to get an allover tan. The entire beach was deserted, or at least appeared to be, and I had a wonderfull few hours. Brighton Beach in the UK has shown that a quiet unofficial beach is far better then overt media exposure. I have no idea what the consequence of a Police Officer would have been, but from what I saw of the good manners of most Barbadians, I was banking on a ‘quiet word of advice’ if caught. I accept fully that some will see my actions as disrespectfull arrogance, but I sincerely wish that this beautifull island would fully meet my needs as a naturist, for then I would be sure to repeat my visit many times over. As it stands, I will not be returning to Barbados which for sure is a shame.
A wish for equality means you have to work such long hours that we are all over stressed!
nude beaches as a concept for the naturalists however the only way it could work in Barbados is if there were private beaches AND I am DIAMETRICALLY opposed to the that idea.
Personally I dont like getting sand in my lickle bits!
I honestly have no issue with Nude Beaches.. I dont like them but so what.. I say go for it head on… we always talking about morality and people cussing because the government took a % of the lottery winnings lol i love it.. we can sometimes be a people of Double Standards!! Nude Beaches ? I say why the hell not..
dwayne young // June 28, 2008 at 4:07 pm
A wish for equality means you have to work such long hours that we are all over stressed!
Ok, you lost me. Wanna explain that one?
What about morale? Self Respect.
we drag any one before the court for indecent exposer,if they are locals ,yey we sell our souls and have double standards by allowing nude beaches. well well
I agree with Krzysztof Skubiszewski!
We need to improve our service! That’s it; full stop & a nude beach will have no impact on numbers if service is crap. People can go to a nude beach on another island (Caribbean or not), where the service is much better & for a better price.
So Krzysztof Skubiszewski, I agree with you, put your money where your mouth is & don’t settle for bad service. More customers need to walk away from bad service in order to get their message across. Until we get to that point, service will continue to be crap NISE or not!!!
Gotta get away from the idea that we are doing a big favour to tourists of which they should be truly grateful. They are paying for the privilege after all.
I know that it is a while since this topic was current but I felt the need to add my 2 cents.
I think of it as stupidness to downplay what Technician has mentioned in relation to the attitude of the tourists that frequent our island.
How dare you tell a man that it is a “customer service industry” so maybe you should get out?
How could you tell him that when guests come around here and threaten staff members for merely doing their jobs and enforcing necessary rules?
How could you say that when it is a known fact that some tourists come here with the intention to get something free by being completely unreasonable?
How could that be when employees are assaulted verbally and physically because people can’t get their way?
I myself have had these things happen to me and I can tell you that in a court of law I would have been right each and every time. Just because you are contributing to the economy of a country, that does not give you licence to act like a bloody fool.
To PartlyBajan Girl:
Sad to say you are absolutely right!
I no longer go to most beaches in Barbados as i can never fully “relax”.
To even think of having a peaceful doze in such serene surroundings is nothing but a dream with the ever present threat of Bajan males who seem to derive great pleasure from harassing women with thier sexual thoughts.
Dispicable behavior i say!
However, i have discovered that these individuals, seem not to venture too near most exclusive beachfront properties and only in these spots can i truly enjoy my holiday in peace.
in Denmark, many people nude beaches mind it is ok
We are scared to have nude beaches here but just take a ‘lime’ on Broad St. a Saturday morning and you couldn’t want more nudity than that. Breast hanging out, botsies dropping out and nootsies printing out. Not much left for de imagination. I’m all for the nude beaches. Can’t wait to go peep at the black studs.
How ya like ma?
Briton Beach in Britain is a nudist beach. There is a section for men and one for women, then a seperate one for couples.Are we not still considered as “little England?”
I am gutted to hear there are no nude beaches in Barbados. We’re coming on a group holiday after Christmas. If I’d have known I’d have asked we go to another island. No nude beaches?! It’s as bad as Dubai!
As a naturist I think you’re missing a trick if you don’t offer anything for the “Buff Pound” (or indeed Euro or dollar).
I hope I am luckier with the service than Krzysztof was!
It’s interesting that the article mentioned Barbados’s reputation. Heritage Tourism certainly wouldn’t ccut it with me. And I tend to think of Christmas holidays in Barbados as a bit “old hat”. I haven’t been for a few years, but I remember the villas and hotels on the beach felt a little tired.
And I think it’s Brighton Beach you’re talking about, old boy.
The potential Tourist
There is a beach in St. Philip, Harris Smith is the name, even though it’s not legally a nudist beach, many people bath there in the nude. The beach itself is fairly secluded.
Why worry about a nude beach.
Usually those outspoken about sexuality are some of the most perverted rats living on the down low or in the closet.
Those with six children from six different women.
How about addressing the physical and sexual abuse of women in Barbados.
The politicians, clergy and the law do not seriously address domestic violence.
I am completely disgusted at how our sisters, mothers and daughters are treated in Bim. Sexual harassment is rampant.
How many times have I heard what a random man wants to do to my fiancé, including all the seetsing and call-outs.
Those men in Barbados need to learn to respect the female, and be real men.
So in my humble opinion, Barbados is not ready for nude beaches.
I am a nudist and I am also a Barbadian…
Do you think that I am going to fly to another destination just for the “priviledge” of going nude ??
I regularly go nude…. at lots of places in Barbados… and I have never had a problem in over 10 years.
I have also done quite a bit of outdoor nude photography which is freely available to anybody on Flickr.com
Barbados needs to get over the HYPOCRISY
that is rampant in both public and private life… aided and abetted by the media that sensationalises it… and the churches that institutionalise it.
My advice to all “nudists at heart” living on Barbados is…… DO YOUR THING….
dont wait for sanction or official approval because you cannot change this “culture” of hypocrisy…. it is endemic…. so try to enjoy your life inspite of it…. as a Barbadian citizen that is your right.
It seems that the first constituency council is up and running at CBC, democracy is not necessary since all de spokes people are DLP look alikes. News constantly unbalanced, resident Dlp pro people’s program host can’t see outside DLP box. Sorry I forgot that the majority of voters choose the DLP. But I forgot also that the minorty of voters did not vote. Not necessary for them to have a say. The council in the Pine is speaking for the majority. Sagicor’s news story was delivered with glee. Can’t get a delightful story from the Pine Constiuency council on CLICO. Perhaps a representative from de church, sports community ,de rum shops crew and de bus stand forum and de calypsonians association would present some balance.
Don’t mek sport about DEMocracy ya hear DAT IS PEOPLES BUSINESS.
Nudist beaches…ho humm, so 70s. Just go to the beach in your bathing gear and forget about seeing peopIes sexuaI organs on dispIay. If you must swim naked, go at night. Why shouId Bajans put up with yet another intrusion on their society by tourists? Its a fragiIe society trying to hang on to its identity and vaIues in the face of a myriad of corrupting infIuences. Having nudist beaches is yet another way of excIuding ordinary Bajan famiIies from going to the beach, might as weII privatise aII the beaches then.
My friend , tell me is bathing nude part of the new tourism thrust or are Bajans bathing in the nude too. Is this a situation of anything goes just to make a dollar?
Then tell me if this only happens at dark nights,just tell me why.
It seem as if the world would do anything to make a dollar.If the new status quo is “any thing goes” we should all abondon our moral values and do as we like.WE should all walk naked in public whomever wish to,have sex in public, legalise beastility and carnal abuse.
My girlfriend and I recently returned from our first visit to Barados (and the Carribean in general). I thought I might share some impressions we had.
First, it’s hard to imagine how allowing nude bathing would make much of a difference in tourism. While I didn’t see the entire coastline, I didn’t see any beach that would lend itself to nude bathing. The Barbados coast is intensely developed, with hotels and restaurants basically shoulder to shoulder. Many people who might enjoy nude bathing also enjoy relative privacy. The east and north coast are the exception but also inhospitable to enjoying the water. Besides, women can if they want go topless, so what indeed is the point. In 8 days, I saw only one woman without her top on. Nude bathing is a non-issue. Get over it.
Now, what CAN Barbados do to improve it’s image and market share? Clean the island up and do something about the bloody traffic. I haven’t seen that much litter or traffic anywhere in a long long time. Since most of the population uses the bus system, why not put a trash receptacle at many if not most bus stops. Also, introduce mandatory recycling. A small island just HAS to do this. And please do something about the traffic. Before going we had assumed we’d get some bicycles or scooters and explore. Within minutes of observing the traffic along the beach, we saw that would be clearly suicidal. Too bad.
We were also told that many Barbadians leave their house unfinished to avoid additional taxes. There’s nothing particularly charming about an unpainted, unstucco-ed concrete block house. I suggest you change the laws to remove this penalty and perhaps even provide an incentive to finish things up.
I will say one thing, Barbadians are among the friendliest people I’ve encountered on my travels. Everywhere we went the service was superb. And then there’s the water! Wow. It really is that gorgeous.
You’ve got a beautiful home. Please take good care of it.
J.R.
While I do not believe in nude bathing, I have been to Jamaica and was allowed to bathe where the nudist were bathing. It was not such a pretty sight as most of the people were old and “swibbly”. I don’t know how they felt when a handsome firm body passed theirs. I would be totally embarrassed. We don’t need such here.
My point was and still is….. if BARBADIANS (even in the minority) want to bathe nude in their own country then that is their RIGHT.
It is not about tourism…. it is not about “coastline development”….. and it is certainly not about whether people look “firmbody” or “swibbly”…..
Nudism is not a “fashion show” and most nudists are not “models”.
Barbadian Nudists have just as much rights to their lifestyle as Jehovahs Witnesses, Muslims, Mormons and other Barbadian minorities.
Nudism is neither a criminal activity nor does it contravene anybody elses “rights”……
please dont talk about “not wanting to see naked bodies”….. because that is the biggest hypocrisy of all… any naked photo on the internet gets 100 times more visits than a beautiful sunset or coastline….
the HYPOCRISY is that the people saying they dont want to see naked bodies….. will take a look when nobody is watching……. EVERYBODY wants to see nudity but they just dont want anybody else to know that they want to see it….
I was on Long Beach after the “expose” in the Nation newspaper back in the early 80’s….. and I was amused at the rush of binocular and camera bearing people that flocked up there hoping to see some nudity….. I even spotted a preacher from a well known church among them (maybe he was there gathering information for his sermon ?)…. humans like to see other people naked that is their basic nature…. the hypocrisy comes about because of their own personal embarassment….. so now read my Bajan….
I dun fa now… talk ya talk…. an entertain ma do… nun a ya caan fool ma cause I dun know how ya is already.
… and if you see me naked anywhere in Barbados…. you may laugh or even take a photo if you can….. but the WISEST thing you could do (and this would reveal you intellectual maturity) would be to go along about your business and IGNORE me completely.
Stephen Mendes
Let me invite you to either strip nude and walk into the Mental hospital for treatment or go buy one of those uninhabited islands in the Grenedines or in the Esiquibo river in Guyana. Mendes YOU SICK BASTARD!!!!!!
Barbados is not ready for nude beaches.
It s too much double -morality in the island to fullfill this dream.
In France there are closed beaches for the rich and beautiful. maybe that could be an idea in Barbados?
Such an apparently violent reaction to my passive pursuit of nudity….. you should refrain from personal attacks against posters on this board.
I am not afraid of you or anyone else…. and furthermore I am not alone in wanting to have a nudist paradise on Barbados.
I will continue to advertise on the internet and over time increase the number of Bajan persons who think as I do.
Its called campaigning….. and its what organisations and groups do all the time….. I would invite “scout” to do it too, but he is far too shy for that…. he prefers to hide behind aliases and remain “anonymous”….. why not meet me face to face scout in a debate on television…. Ican arrange that for you.
If any Bajans read these posts and are seriously interested in nudism.
Visit http://barbadosnatureclub.com
…. and join the club !
Hi, If anyone has copies of the leak photograph of the exclusive gay bajan party. please send me a copy at gaydude2009@live.co.uk. Regards
I saw in the Nation newspaper (I think it was Al Gilkes column) that he went to the Barbados nudist resort (many years ago) looking for lovely young beauties…. and all he saw was fat old people… with sags and bags of flesh all over the place… a most unpleasant sight indeed.
I was 22 years old when that nudist club was opened…. and I regularly walked naked on Long Beach along with other young people (until it was all exposed in the paper).
young Barbadians liked nudity back then… and many still do…. but no young person was going to pay the exorbitant fees that place was charging for “admission”…. plus there is the “stigma of public opinion”…
nudity is meant to be free…. but Bajan nudists…. just like Bajan gays…. prefer to remain “secret” rather than face a hostile and narrow-minded public.