Yvonne Campbell, Travel Counsellors, on remote working in Barbados

Yvonne has remotely worked from paradise throughout the pandemic, thanks to the Barbados 'Welcome Stamp' scheme.

Nine months into the pandemic, I had itchy feet. I was not used to being in one place for so long, and I started considering the idea of living somewhere else in the world.

Barbados presented itself as an option; I was on a flight pretty soon after I made my decision and came on the one year Barbados Welcome Stamp. Being here on the island has presented itself with a significant opportunity for my travel business – to become a Barbados specialist. 

Living here on the island, I can get to know it from the perspective of resident, as well as through a tourist lens. So, what have I done? 

1. Tour operators Elegant Resorts and If Only, two of our suppliers at Travel Counsellors, have four staff based in Barbados. They have invited me to carry out site inspections on a whole range of hotels across the island. It gives me an opportunity to understand what the properties offer so I can better match my clients to hotels that suit their needs, and it also enables me to build relationships with hotel staff.

2. Staycations are a bit of a thing here on the island at the moment. Hotels are offering the lowest ever rates for locals, and being on the Welcome Stamp, I am considered a local. I have been working my way round the hotel staycation circuit and experiencing these hotels for myself

3. I started a podcast ‘Life In Barbados: A Year on a Paradise Island’, produced and edited by Podknows Podcasting, which showcases the island, as well as providing insights for those looking to move here on the Welcome Stamp. I meet local people, business owners, and other tourists, sharing everything from where to stay, what to do, which foods to try and, most importantly, which Barbados rum reigns supreme

4. Barbados is a repeat visit type of a place – most people I have met have been here many times. The issues with the pandemic have made them think twice about booking independently again. I have picked up more than a few clients here on the island itself, so I guess the networking that I was worried about missing out on back home is now done here on the island.