Includes information on acceptable business etiquette, dress, business cards, gifts, etc.
Last Published: 7/8/2019

Business Customs

For men, suit and tie is the normal business attire; Barbadian men sometimes wear a "shirt-jack," which is akin to a safari-type short-sleeved jacket with matching trousers.  For women, a long- or short-sleeved skirt or pant suit or a dress is appropriate.  Business hours are generally from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Appointments are generally required for business meetings.  Lunchtime meetings are common.  Breakfast meetings are becoming more accepted.  Business cards should be presented during meetings. 
 

Travel Advisory

No elevated travel advisories are currently in effect. Information regarding Barbados can be found at:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Barbados.html
 

Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens must enter Barbados using a valid U.S. passport.  U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter Barbados for stays up to six months.  More information can be found on the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade website:

https://www.foreign.gov.bb/foreign-relations/travelling-to-barbados. 

United States Embassy Barbados Consular Section:
https://bb.usembassy.gov/visas
 

Currency

The currency of Barbados is the Barbadian dollar (BBD) which is pegged to the United States dollar (USD) at 2.00 BBD to 1.00 USD.  U.S. dollars are accepted in most businesses.  Credit cards and travelers checks are also widely accepted.  All commercial banks have ATMs across the island.  Most ATMs have access to the Cirrus and PLUS networks.  ATMs can also be found at some hotels.

Telecommunications/Electronics
Most business offices and hotels have facsimile machines and internet connection.  Most hotels also provide business service centers to guests.  In addition, hotels are equipped with free or guest access only Wi-Fi in rooms and public areas.  There are also Wi-Fi hotspots across the island.

Making telephone calls to the United States and to most parts of the world is generally as easy as making calls within the United States, although the charges are much higher.  Touchtone service and direct dialing are available.

There are currently two cellular mobile service providers on island: FLOW and Digicel.  Both provide 4G cellular service.  Rates are still relatively high, but have decreased significantly over the past few years.  Generally, most U.S. cellphone services work on the Barbadian mobile networks; however roaming charges tend to be high.  Both cellular companies provide prepaid mobile SIM cards at a nominal fee for visitors.

Barbados uses 110 volts/ 50 cycles on its electric grid system.


Transportation

Airport: Grantley Adams International.

Runway: L 6,200 feet x W 150 feet.

The Grantley Adams International Airport accommodates international, regional, and local traffic, passenger, and freight service.

American Airlines operates direct service to the United States with non-stop flights to Miami, Charlotte, and New York with onward connections.  JetBlue Airways has non-stop flights to New York, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale.  Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines no longer flies direct from Barbados to the United States.  All connections for international flights through Caribbean Airlines must be made through Trinidad.  Canadian and British airlines fly direct service to Barbados from Canada and the UK, respectively.  There are also seasonal charter flights from some European destinations.

LIAT is the sole regional carrier with flights throughout the Eastern Caribbean and to San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Generally, LIAT’s service is unreliable, with frequent delayed flights, unpredictable departure and arrival times, and periodic internal labor conflicts. 

Barbados operates a public bus transportation system at a nominal fee.  There are also privately owned buses and small 14-seater vans that ply certain routes at the same nominal fee.  There are also privately owned taxis that are usually found next to hotels or in the capital city to take passengers to all destinations around the island at a cost.  While these rates are not metered, they are regulated by government.  Taxis are also available for pre-arranged bookings.  Always confirm the rate with the driver before you begin your trip to your destination.


Language

The official language of Barbados is English.  It is also the accepted business language in the country. 


Health

The main hospital is the 600-bed public Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, and there are several equipped health and emergency care clinics distributed throughout the island.  There is also a smaller private hospital, Bayview Hospital.  The medical community includes specialists trained in the Caribbean, the United States, Canada, and Europe.  There are no specific vaccinations required for visitors travelling to Barbados.  However, it is reccommended that all travelers have up to date routine immunizations  such as tetanus-diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. 

Sanitation and the environment are jointly managed through the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of the Environment and National Beautification.  These ministries are mandated to issue certificates regarding health and the environment.  The Environmental Protection Department and the BNSI have oversight for the development of environmental standards, which include water and wastewater standards.  The Barbados Fair Trading Commission established a Utility Regulation Division which oversees the rates and standard of service for three utilities: telephone (mobile and internet), electricity, and water.


Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

Barbados falls in the Atlantic Time Zone which 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-4).  There is no daylight savings time in Barbados.  During Daylight Savings Time in the United States, Barbados is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

In Barbados, the work week is generally Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.  to 4:30 p.m.  In 2016, a new Shops Act took effect, allowing some business to open longer during the week and on some public holidays.  Under the new legislation, those stores can now remain open for business from 7 a.m. on Mondays continuously through to 10 p.m. on Sundays.  Mandatory closing hours are between 10 p.m. on Sundays and 7 a.m. on Mondays.  A business may be granted special permission to open on “closed days.”  The Act removes general public holidays from being “closed days,” with the exception of Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and Independence Day.

Banking hours are typically 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday.  Banks are closed Saturday,  Sunday and local holidays.  Banks usually institute Friday business hours the day before a local holiday to service their clients.

2019 Barbados Holidays:               
                                                                                                               
                                                January 1                                              New Year’s Day
                                                January 21                                            Errol Barrow Day
                                                April 19                                                Good Friday
                                                April 22                                                Easter Monday
                                                April 28                                                National Heroes Day
                                                May 1                                                   May (Labor) Day
                                                June 10                                                 Whit Monday
                                                August 1                                               Emancipation Day
                                                August 5                                               Kadooment Day
                                                November 30                                        Independence Day
                                                December 25                                         Christmas Day
                                                December 26                                         Boxing Day 


Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

Business travelers are allowed temporary entry of materials and personal belongings.   The Barbados Customs Officer should be satisfied that the business traveler has no intention of leaving the items in Barbados.   The Customs Officer can request that the business traveler leave a bond or certified check for the customs duty to ensure that the traveler takes the items with them as they leave Barbados.
 

Travel Related Web Resources

State Department Travel Website: http://travel.state.gov
United States Embassy Bridgetown Consular Section: https://bb.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/  
Barbados Grantley Adams International Airport:  www.gaia.bb  
Barbados Customs and Excise Department:  http://customs.gov.bb  
Barbados Immigration Department: www.immigration.gov.bb  
Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade: www.foreign.gov.bb   
 

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