The Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) recently showcased resorts to another group of meeting and event planners in a continuing effort to expand the important group business to The Bahamas.
George Brice, vice president of the NPIPB, said the familiarization trips for planners are important to getting more groups to visit the country. The meeting and event planners must first know about and be comfortable with the produce on Nassau and Paradise Island before organizing group travel, he said.
“Most meeting planners will not buy or send a group to the destination without first seeing it and experiencing it,” he said. “So the fam trips or destination programs are designed to afford the meeting planner the opportunity to see and experience not only the (resort) facilities that we have to offer for their groups but also the amenities of the destination.”
The NPIPB brought more than a dozen planners to the destination to see the product and speak with tourism and hospitality executives. Although the group saw all the hotels that support substantial groups, they were also able to have Bahamian experiences beyond the hotel properties.
“During those four days, we make sure that they get to see all of the group properties,” Mr. Brice said. “Also, they get to experience the services and amenities that these properties have to offer and also they have to experience the services and amenities that the properties and the entire destination have to offer.”
Mr. Brice said groups business is important to tourism because groups book far in advance, allowing resorts and the destination to project business and plan effective strategies for securing further business.
Source: The Ministry of Tourism
