Local apartment owner Errol McCollin is trying to stay optimistic during the current COVID-19 crisis, but his business is facing an uncertain future.

Errol owns Shades of Barbados, which is located in Paynes Bay, St James, close to some of the island’s best beaches and major tourism attractions.

The doors at the boutique property have been closed since March, and three full-time staff, who Errol describes as “like family”, have been left to rely on National Insurance Scheme payments.

Errol says nearly all of the property’s seven self-catering apartments were occupied throughout the 2019 / 2020 winter season, but the COVID-19 outbreak brought future bookings to a standstill.

He adds: “All of our bookings and deposits for this summer are affected.

“The one
consolation is that this all kicked in just as the peak season was ending. So,
if anything, the timing did help a bit, but some people had booked way in
advance, we even had one guest who’d booked for 2020 and 2021.

“We gave 100% refunds to anyone who wanted their money back.”

Now Errol, like thousands of other business owners and individuals who depend on Barbados’ tourism industry, is living in limbo, and it remains unclear whether the sector will ever fully recover.

According to the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, tourism is the main pillar in Barbados’ economy, “accounting directly for 12% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its indirect contribution to GDP is estimated at 40%”.

Approximately
26,000 people on the island rely on tourism for their income.

Errol states: “There are so many people unemployed in the sector now, I just don’t know how it’s going to work out. It’s unchartered territory.

“My staff want to come back, but I can’t guarantee any dates or times. I don’t want to cut ties because it took years for me to build up this team. (editorialrm.com) Everyone is struggling, and I take it personal, because I had people relying on me for their livelihoods.

“You can’t plan ahead. All you can do is try to budget and work out where you can cut back. I’m just trying to manage our reserves the best way possible.”

Errol is currently
putting all his time and effort into maintaining the property and keeping on
top of any minor repairs. He wants to be ready “from day one” when the world
starts travelling again.

“We’re
keeping the property lived in because otherwise it can get out of hand really
quickly,” he says.

“We run the
taps and keep the gardens looked after as much as possible. It’s strange
walking around and seeing the place so empty.”

Errol adds: “In an ideal world we’ll get back to full occupancy. The reality is that people love Barbados, but they are anxious, and there is a lack of confidence.

“No-one wants to be the first person onboard. There are so many factors to consider. But I know people who want to come back, because for them the Caribbean is like a second home.

“All of the
island will need to come in sync and help each other. The taxi operators,
restaurant owners, everyone has to be ready. That’s a big challenge for the
government because we have so many eggs in this basket.

“We’re dying for the income. We don’t want to go under. But at the same time, we know the re-opening can’t be rushed.”

Two times a
week Errol has “brainstorming” sessions with his brothers in the UK, who co-own
the apartment complex, to decide how they can reposition and remarket Shades
for when the lockdown is over. He says those meetings keep up his morale and
help him to stay positive.

He adds that Shades is ready to implement any health and safety requirements necessary to keep staff and guests happy and well.

Errol states: “We’re flexible and small enough to adapt very easily, so we can get going right away with any necessary measures. We are also self-catering so that helps.

“We’ve just got
to stay positive and think outside the box. We will survive this.”

You can visit Shades of Barbados online at https://www.shadesofbarbados.com/

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