Barbados is moving closer to launching its own music festival as the island seeks to expand its entertainment offerings and strengthen year-round tourism arrivals.

The development was confirmed by Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill during the country’s tourism update at the recently concluded Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda on May 14.

The proposed event would add to the growing list of music and cultural festivals staged across the Caribbean.

Barbados had initially planned to launch the festival last year, but the initiative was postponed due to the island hosting the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA).

The island already hosts several major events, including Crop Over, the Food and Rum Festival and Reggae Weekend.

“We are having conversations with the National Cultural Foundation with respect to a music festival,” Gooding-Edghill said.

Gooding-Edghill he noted the National Cultural Foundation is the state agency responsible for Barbados’ cultural events and artistic development.

“So it is very much on the cards and at the appropriate stage a formal announcement would be made,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, tourism officials say events and sport tourism are a major part of Barbados’ strategy to reduce its dependence on seasonal travel demand and position the island as a year-round destination.

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Andrea Franklin, said the country is actively trying to spread visitor arrivals more evenly across the calendar year.

Barbados traditionally experiences its highest tourism arrivals during the winter and spring months, with demand slowing during the summer and shoulder seasons.

Franklin said the island is increasingly relying on entertainment, cultural and sports events to drive travel during slower periods.

“That’s what we really have to do — create and market events happening that persons can come to the Caribbean for,” she said.

“Sport is critical to us in that period, hence why we have such a calendar of sporting events happening in the summer, particularly in Barbados, as we try to fill that gap.”

She pointed to the island’s flagship Crop Over festival as one of the biggest drivers of summer tourism.