Although Nassau is one of the biggest tourism gateways on the planet, it represents just two percent of this country’s total land mass.
The Bahamas is barely scratching the surface of the sector’s potential, the minister of tourism said, and this year’s Caribbean Marketplace 2012 is the ideal time to reveal a national initiative to help tourists discover the islands less traveled.
Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace admitted that The Bahamas has not done a good enough job of telling the world about the Family Islands. With this in mind, as reported first by Guardian Business back in December, the Ministry of Tourism has launched a rebranding campaign to create distinct logos, identities and visible marketing campaigns for these destinations.
“These island groups need their own logo and feel,” Vanderpool-Wallace said. “Sometimes the differences between the islands in this country are as different as other English-speaking Caribbean islands.”
From a land crab festival in Andros to the Rake and Scrape on Cat Island, a new website, appearing this February, seeks to market these offerings to the world. Vanderpool-Wallace said the news comes as promising December numbers have been released for air arrivals, including a 7.1 percent rise year on year for the country, and a 15.9 percent spike for Grand Bahama.
From a logistics point of view, the minister told Guardian Business domestic carriers will be given an added role in re-routing passengers through Nassau to the islands. The price, he said, will be included all in one fare.
“We are relying on the domestic carriers,” he explained. “Tourists can make their reservation and bookings from wherever they are coming from, land in Nassau and transfer immediately. This is a real opportunity for domestic carriers.”
The rebranding push comes as welcomed news to the president of the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board, Shavonne Darville. As a native of Long Island, she said the greatest challenge has been “recognition that we even exist”.
“It could have a significant effect on the economies of the islands. In some cases, tourism hasn’t played much of a role thus far in their development. The whole aspect of the added monetary side in terms of what the tourism product can offer is tremendous,” she told Guardian Business.
In particular, she noted that as more tourists discover the islands, it will perhaps motivate more Bahamians born on those islands to stay and help with the development. An Out Island brain drain has occurred for decades, she said, and with added investment and opportunities, the populations have a better chance to thrive.
Darville anticipates Abaco, with major development on the airport and other residential and resort projects, could see a rise in tourism immediately.
Exuma is another hot destination, partly due to the rise of Emerald Bay, the sparkling new Sandals luxury resort.
Adam Stewart, the CEO of Sandals, attended Caribbean Marketplace yesterday.
Representing $80 million in investment and responsible for a great deal of employment on Exuma, he told Guardian Business the island stands to benefit considerably.
“People don’t know where it is. America is just over there, but you say Exuma and they just look at you. We have been pushing, and pushing, and pushing. I think the government has excellent vision and tremendous cooperation,” he explained.
Vanderpool-Wallace noted that coordination should be further improved through the creation of the Bahamas Tourism Center on JFK Highway. While a price tag hasn’t been assigned to the project, the central idea, he said, is to finally create a one-stop shop for tourism stakeholders to receive information from both the private and public sector.
Caribbean Marketplace 2012, running until the end of today, features hundreds of tourism investors, delegates and stakeholders from around the world.
Jeffrey Todd
Guardian Business Editor
