The Garrison Historic Area of Barbados has long been recognised for its tourism potential given that the network of over seventy well-preserved buildings of historical and architectural interest, the picturesque central Savannah, the extensive cannon collection, and other high-quality facilities and artifacts help to tell the story of the largest British military complex built in the Caribbean.  In fact, the island's enviable National Cannon Collection constitutes the largest cluster of 17th Century English cannons in the world and is also home to one of only two cannons in existence containing a gun with Oliver Cromwell's crest. Some of the cannons can be seen in front of the Main Guard facing the racetrack.

Functioning as a British Garrison for some 126 years, this facility was in fact the first Garrison of the West Indies. In 1785 the British Government established permanent land forces in the Windward and Leeward Islands with Barbados as headquarters. Construction of the British Garrison then began in 1789 leaving behind a legacy of buildings, artillery and artifacts.

The Garrison Historic Area is also the location of a house where George Washington, the first president of the United States, stayed for two months in 1751 while visiting his sick brother in Barbados. The house has been recently restored and is called the 'George Washington House’. It is open to the public and is also used to host private functions.

The conversion of the former Military Prison into the Barbados Museum in 1933 set the precedent for the successful conversion of historic Garrison buildings into visitor-oriented facilities.  However, it was not until the end of the 20^th century that the pace of tourism development in the Garrison accelerated dramatically, coinciding fortuitously with ascendance of heritage tourism as one of the fastest growing tourism products in the world.   The commencement of the George Washington House tourism project; the completion of the National Cannon Collection attraction; the opening of the Mallalieu Motor Collection attraction; the completion of the Barbados Pavilion; the restoration of the Main Guard and its opening for tours; and the launching of Garrison Historic Tour by Tall Ships Cruises, Ltd., among other NGO and private activities, all gave more evidence than ever of the great potential for heritage tourism development at the Garrison.  

This new tourism development activity, however, also exposed weaknesses in the area’s tourism infrastructure.  Insufficient product definition, lack of attraction focus and excitement, absence of central management and planning, among other challenges, threatened to stifle the operational and marketing success of the product over time.   Social-cultural challenges also emerged.   The view held by many members of the majority Barbadian community that the Garrison glorifies the colonial past, threatened to undermine community support for the project, support needed to help the Garrison reach its full tourism potential.