Barbados’ disabled community has welcomed the government’s move to make all short-term rentals universally accessible, describing it as a major step toward inclusive tourism.
But stakeholders are urging operators to approach the changes with care and commitment.
“This sends a clear message that Barbados is serious about treating all visitors with dignity and inclusivity,” said Minister of Tourism Ian Gooding-Edghill, as he tabled the Tourist Accommodation Bill 2025 in Parliament on Tuesday.
The legislation mandates universal accessibility for all new properties, while giving existing operators five years to comply or apply for exemptions.
Vice-President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled Kerry-Ann Ifill called the announcement “a move in the right direction”, noting that universal design is central to the council’s Fully Accessible Barbados programme. But she stressed that accessibility goes beyond physical infrastructure.
“The physical access is step one, and step two is making sure that the total experience is inclusive of persons with disabilities,” she told Barbados TODAY. “I urge persons to remember that physical access does not mean ramps only or just putting in ramp bars. It is so much more than that.”
Ifill acknowledged that some operators might feel overwhelmed by the perceived cost of upgrades, saying she had heard concerns like: “Oh, I got to go put in an elevator now. I don’t got that kind of money.”
But she assured them that accessibility improvements don’t have to be prohibitively expensive.
She encouraged rental owners to seek guidance from the council, not just to meet legal requirements but to “really embrace the whole process of inclusion”.
Disability rights advocate and attorney-at-law Janeil Odle also welcomed the legislation, but urged operators to follow the building code carefully, especially when installing ramps.
“There are other places that have ramps that lead to steps or ramps that have poles in the middle of [them], which defeats the purpose,” she said.
“We state in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities legislation that properties must follow the building code. Yes, the building code has not yet been enforced, but we enforce those sections through the legislation, so persons should seek to ensure that their properties meet the requirements and standards of the building code.”
Odle added that the new law could help position Barbados as a destination of choice for families travelling with persons with disabilities.
She noted that while planning for the upcoming Caribbean Disabilities Conference in October, organisers struggled to find suitable accommodation for participants.
“Obviously, as a destination that depends so heavily on tourism, we cannot continue like that,” she said. “There are many persons coming here to visit, including persons with disabilities, and they are looking for places to stay. If they hear that Barbados is not accessible, then they’ll find somewhere else, and we could be losing money from that market that way.”
She added, “A lot of tourists have a lot of money. We have persons throughout the world who would have received huge settlements, or families travelling with their relatives with disabilities. If they come to Barbados and find places are not accessible, they will be hesitant to return. So this is a step in the right direction.” (JB)
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