The future of tourism development must be measured by the number of Bahamians empowered to own, create, lead and prosper within the industry.
That according to the Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, the first woman to hold the post, who contributed to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
She credited the former minister the Hon. Chester Cooper who, under his watch the country received an unprecedented 12.5 million visitor arrivals. And, for the first four months of this year, The Bahamas welcomed some 4,985,668 visitors by air and sea across all islands.
Since the launch of the Family Islands Airport Renaissance Project, the initiative has expanded to more than 19 aerodromes across the country, she said.
The Renaissance will ultimately touch airports on 21 islands: Abaco, Acklins, Andros, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Farmer’s Cay, Grand Bahama, Great Harbour Cay, Inagua, Long Island, Mayaguana, Moore’s Island, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Staniel Cay.
“Each of these airports represents a potential gateway to both domestic and international connectivity, and each is an area of great potential for airlift,” she said.
The minister noted that as a result of attending the recent regional Latin American and Caribbean United Nations World Tourism event, she gained deeper insight into the reality that tourism is an economic pillar on which almost every nation in the world seeks to capitalize.
UN Tourism describes tourism as “a social, cultural and economic phenomenon, which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business or professional purposes,” she said.
The minister pointed out that according to the World Bank, tourism and tourism-driven activity are central to The Bahamas’ economy, accounting for approximately 60 percent of GDP and directly or indirectly employing about half of the labour force.
“The Bahamas has built a resilient and distinctive tourism profile. We emit a rich and general conception, a bundle of ideas, incorporating most especially our beautiful waters, our lush landscape and our warm and friendly people,” she said.
In this vein, she joined forces with Ministers of the Environment, Culture, Arts and Heritage, and Transport to bring a laser focus to areas that serve not only the so-called product but also the qualitative state of the nation and national pride.
The minister mentioned the revitalization of the Bahamahost programme, and Professional Development Plans, as set out in the Blueprint for Progress, are among objectives for moving the tourism product forward.
Also on tap is the further revitalization of Downtown Nassau and vicinity to include the 66 Steps, the Water Tower and the work of Nassau Historical Society, the Nassau Public Library on Shirley and Parliament Streets and elsewhere.
“We will work closely on refocusing the world-famous Straw Market, Clifton Heritage Park, and the slave villages whose sacred remains can be found throughout the archipelago,” the minister said.
Regarding the future development of tourism, she noted that The Tourism Development Corporation has a critical role to play in the next chapter of Bahamian tourism.
“The Corporation is a vehicle through which the dream of Bahamianisation will be fulfilled, moving our people to become the drivers of their own destiny,” she said.
“The future of tourism development must be measured not only by the number of visitors we welcome but by the number of Bahamians empowered to own, create, lead and prosper within the industry,” she added.
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