With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, representatives of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) are set to build on their success at the 42nd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and scheduled for 20 – 23 May 2024 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event will offer the opportunity for The Bahamas to shine as buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region convene for business.
In 2023, The Bahamas saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38% from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17% to record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5% to record 7.9 million. The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for instance, up 36% in 2023, to Grand Bahama up 44%, and the Out Islands up 40%.
The Bahamas delegation has a full agenda that will include hosting a destination press conference at the event, scheduled for Tuesday, 21 May, 11a.m. There will be much for Ministry representatives to reveal as The Bahamas has become a source for sustainable tourism solutions, with much of country’s tourism success stemming from its commitment to uplifting lives, preserving environments and sustaining the economies of communities. For example, the BMOTIA recently unveiled new initiatives to restore and revitalise mangrove trees that are vital to the ecological balance of the oceans. Other tourism developments The Bahamas will be promoting at Caribbean Travel Marketplace are:
BMOTIA’s new Incubator Centre designed to boost local entrepreneurship in the tourism sector. Managed by the Tourism Development Corporation at a site overlooking Nassau Harbour, the Centre offers an affordable and attractive space for Bahamian micro-retailers to showcase their local products.
New cruise industry developments include a private destination for Carnival Cruise Line at Celebration Key in Grand Bahama Island; a second private destination for Disney Cruise Line at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Eleuthera; and a new cruise port and water park on Grand Bahama through a partnership between Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and the ITM Group.
Airline updates include American Airlines’ new twice-weekly roundtrip nonstop service between Miami and Governor’s Harbour in Eleuthera, and SouthWest’s new Orlando to Nassau service which further encourages visitors for destination exploration.
“Every year, we look forward to being a part of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace and the opportunity it presents to grow tourism in our country and across the Caribbean,” said the Honourable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. “Our participation is about so much more than sharing strategies that have helped The Bahamas to break tourism records. It is about reinvigorating connections with fellow professionals and polishing the image of the greater Caribbean as an inviting region for travel of all types.”
For more information on recent BMOTIA tourism efforts, please visit http://www.bahamas.com.
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