Bahamas secures partners for boating business

Partnerships with reputable nautical organizations and marinas are netting thousands of boating visitors for The Islands of The Bahamas, according to a tourism boating specialist.

 

Earl Miller, general manager for Vertical Markets in the Ministry of Tourism’s Florida office, said the Ministry has forged meaningful partnerships that have brought lucrative business to Bahamian islands. The strategy was a major part of landing more than 157,000 private boating arrivals for the country in 2011.

Mr. Miller pointed to the example of the Ministry of Tourism’s major partnership with Sea Ray boat manufacturers. A joint venture brought a group of 60 Sea Ray boats and 365 participants to Atlantis Paradise Island in June, when the group took part in a variety of organized activities.

“Also, we partnered with Marine Max that bring us about eight groups every year, the largest being one that just went on Memorial Day to Bimini – 80 boats and 400 participants,” he said. “So those are the kind of partnerships we are looking for.”

The groups that arrive through the Ministry’s partnerships bring a financial windfall for Bahamian islands, Mr. Miller said. He said boaters have a lot of disposable income and their contributions are distributed to many vendors on the islands.

“If you know anything about boating, especially the smaller boats, we love the open fisherman boats because when they go over to The Islands of The Bahamas, they have to buy gas,” he said. “They have to stay in a room. They have to buy food. So the economic spill is huge.

“A small boat going over to Bimini, which is only 50 miles from here, is going to spend an average of about $3,000 to $5,000 for that weekend. So multiply that by 80 on the low end. Because those types of groups, when they go, we have boats anywhere from 40 feet to about 95 feet going over, and they average about six persons per boat.”

Mr. Miller said the Ministry of Tourism has developed several devices that help make boaters comfortable with venturing into international and Bahamian waters from Florida. One of their developments is a nautical map and chart that is distributed to boaters and marinas in Florida. He explained that the maps allow boaters to see how near Bahamian islands are to Florida. They also show navigation routes to the islands, giving boaters more information and confidence for their voyages.

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Bahamas Film Commission courts emerging filmmakers

The Bahamas Film and Television Commission got acquainted with emerging filmmakers in the northeastern United States recently, when it hosted an evening reception at the Fourth Annual Urban Suburban Film Festival.

The African American Museum in downtown Philadelphia was the site of the film networking event, which was attended by new and emerging filmmakers from northeastern states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts. The festival’s screenings included shorts, documentaries and narratives on contemporary themes.

“Cofounders George Blackmon and Andrew Harmon have established a network of Black professionals in the film industry, who have devoted considerable time to making the Urban Suburban Film Festival a success,” said Craig Woods, Bahamas Film and Television Commissioner. “The festival seeks to bring together filmmakers of all ethnicities, to expose them to the challenges they all face at home, throughout the diaspora as they attempt to tell their stories on the world cinematic stage.”

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Disabilities Council targets sports, awareness

Sporting events will be an integral part of the Bahamas National Council of Disabilities’ conference, which will be held in Nassau from November 28 – December 4. Members of the council recently met with the Ministry of Tourism’s Sports Tourism leaders to update them on their plans for the conference.

Sheila Culmer, president of the council, believes the conference will be a great way to get family and friends involved.

“We’re hoping to focus on the educational component,” she said. “Currently in The Bahamas, there is a lack of involvement of the public and awareness. We hope to change this.”

Pictured (standing from left) are Sheila Culmer, president of The Bahamas National Council of Disabilities; Tyrone Sawyer, director of Sports Tourism and Virginia Kelly, general manager of Sports Tourism. Seated is Andrew Houghton, adviser to the Bahamas Council of Disabilities.

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Judge Brown shares wealth of experience with Bahamians

Television reality show star Judge Joe Brown visited with several Bahamian officials while on a recent trip to Nassau.

Judge Brown’s stops included a courtesy call on Prime Minister Perry Christie and another on Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes. He capped off his stay by addressing lawyers in the Office of the Attorney General, offering advice on crime prevention and legal procedures.

“The Bahamas has great potential. You’re small enough and close enough to work together. In the United States there is a lack of utilization of resources,” said Judge Brown. “We don’t have the right attitude or the right drive. But you have it here in the Bahamas.”

Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson thanked Judge Brown for freely sharing his experience and professional ideas with her staff.

Judge Brown is pictured with Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes. (Photo: Derek Smith/BIS)

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CEO: Booming business for Bimini Bay

As Bimini Bay Resort gets into its second phase of development, the resort is reporting a booming business that is poised to add a world-class casino, aggressively market its property and take advantage of coming infrastructural improvements on Bimini.

Alejandro Capo, CEO of RAV Bahamas, reported that 13 of Phase Two’s 131 residential homes have already been sold – six months after the start of the expanded development. Construction has already started on six of them and it is expected that construction will begin on another six before the end of August. Meanwhile, demand for properties like the upscale and environmentally sustainable Bimini Bay homes continues to grow in “secondary markets” as Bimini Bay has not yet launched its comprehensive marketing effort in primary markets, Mr. Capo said.

“We’re really going to go with the great marketing effort for the second part of this year to see if we can get the up northerners because right now our primary markets are South America and South Florida,” he said. “We really haven’t hit any of those northern markets like New York, New Jersey, the Metro area.”

With a new casino on schedule to open in December, Bimini Bay executives expect even greater focus to be on the property. With Malaysia-based Genting Group as a partner, Mr. Capo believed that Bimini Bay will become a world-renowned destination instead of a property that is extremely popular mainly in South America and South Florida. In the process, he said, employment on the island will increase. He estimates that the casino will need to hire another 100 people in Bimini. Indirectly, he said, the need for more casino regulators and other spin off jobs will result in a total of 250 to 300 new jobs.

Meanwhile, even without the casino, Bimini Bay’s marina is doing brisk business. While most boating destinations have seen reduced business over the past five years due to recession, Bimini Bay has seen increased business, Mr. Capo reported.

“People stopped using their boats to go further distances, and since we’re so close to South Florida, all the boats that have never come here before started coming because it was cheaper than spending the amount of gas it was to get to the Eleutheras and the Exumas,” he said. “Our boating business is up 40, 50% from last year which is huge. Our prices are up another 20% from what we use to book at and all of our major holidays have been sold out months in advance. So we’re really not seeing that downturn in our marina business.”

Mr. Capo was pleased that plans for a new airport terminal have been announced for Bimini. He said air transportation to Bimini had been the biggest obstacle to the hotel portion of Bimini Bay for the past 7 years. A new terminal with an extended runway will allow the resort to attract guests from further points of origin than South Florida in large numbers, Mr. Capo said.

Overall, he said, the future looks very bright for Bimini Bay.

“I think that we are about to launch into a new direction,” Mr. Capo said. “We’re going to become, I think, the diamond for all the Family Islands. It’s been a dream of my father’s since we got here 20 years ago, and I think that right now we’re at the precipice of what I think is going to be a great thing for not only The Bahamas (but) Bimini (and) the Caribbean in general and allowing such a unique and beautiful destination to become world renowned and put us on the map.”

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Bimini improvements outlined for second homeowners

Second homeowners in Bimini heard plans for island improvements recently as they celebrated community participation through the Ministry of Tourism’s Second Homeowners Reception.

Anthony Stuart, general manager of Ministry of Tourism in charge of the Bimini Tourist Office, told the crowd at the reception that several important improvements are on the way. At the top of the list are developments for transportation to the island, he said.

“Over the next 18 months to two years, the airport will be totally renovated,” he said. “A new terminal will be put in, an extension to the runway put in.”

In a few months, Bimini will welcome a new ferry service from Ft. Lauderdale. This will come along with a renovated and extended dock, Mr. Stuart said.

“That ferry will be coming over four times per week and it will take under two hours, from Ft. Lauderdale to Bimini,” he said. “The plan is for them to leave Ft. Lauderdale at 8 o’clock in the morning to be here at 9:45, to leave here at 7pm in the evening, returning back to Ft. Lauderdale. That is going to add more business to Bimini. It is also going to add an extra transportation hub for you.”

Mr. Stuart thanked the homeowners for choosing to purchase property in Bimini and spending time in the community. Although they could have chosen to purchase or build a home on another island or in another country, he said, they chose to be in a place with significant history and beauty.

The homeowners add more to the country than their economic contributions, Mr. Stuart said.

“The one thing that you offer us, that you may not even realize that you are doing as second homeowners who come here month after month and year after year, you are our walking, talking, living billboards,” he said. “You are advertising and promoting The Bahamas.”

Posting photos of Bimini online, speaking about The Bahamas to relatives and friends and inviting them to visit Bimini amounts to extensive promotion of Bimini, he pointed out.

Manny Messeguer is a Bimini second homeowner who became a Bimini advocate more than half a century ago. He first came to Bimini as a teenager with his fiend Billy McDougal and Billy’s father, Bill.

“It was the first time. That was back in ’58, ’59,” Mr. Messeguer said. “I was in junior high school and I’ve been coming back very year since then.”

Mr. Messeguer said it was easy to think of things he loved about Bimini to keep him returning.

“The best question is what I don’t like because I don’t think there is anything I don’t like about this place,” he said. “I like so much stuff it would take me all day just to say what I like. But I love the people. I love the water. I love the attitude of everybody here. I like how everybody is kind of laid back. No worries.”

Ministry of Tourism personnel provided homeowners with gifts and souvenirs as tokens of appreciation during the reception.

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Tourism efforts steer boaters to Bahamas

The Ministry of Tourism continues to work to get boaters visiting the Islands of The Bahamas, leading flotillas of private boats to various Bahamian destinations throughout the summer.

Richard Treco, marketing manager in the Bahamas Tourist Office in Plantation, Florida, said Florida has a very large population of boat owners. However, the vast majority of them have never ventured into the Intercoastal Waterway – a 3,000 mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States.

Since, the open waters between Florida and The Bahamas can be intimidating to inexperienced boaters, the Ministry of Tourism initiated its flotillas, known as boating flings, to assist boaters in the journey. The flings leave from various Florida marinas for scheduled visits to Bahamian islands, Mr. Treco said.

“We came up with this concept to show people how to do it, to navigate the hazards like coming into the channel and things of that nature. We found that as we were taking people over, the word started to spread and (more) people started to come,” he said. “They come for the first time and then all of the sudden they start bringing their friends with their boats. Now it has mushroomed. So most of the boaters you see going to Bimini and Grand Bahama and the Abaco, they came with us one time before and it is just a good way to show them how to do it.”

At their peak, Mr. Treco noted, the Ministry of Tourism conducted nine boating flings per year. However, economic circumstances caused the number to be slightly reduced.

“Because of the economy, with the fuel prices being up and down, we only run six right now,” he said. “We start them off in June, from June 6 to the end of July. We run four to Bimini. We run two to Grand Bahama and then we always do a 10-day trip in which we go island hopping. So we also extend them down to the more southern islands of The Bahamas.

Mr. Treco said the flings have won devoted boaters for The Bahamas. Some boaters take part in the trips every year while others use information from the Ministyr of Toruism to make frequent trips to The Bahamas.

The Ministry of Tourism provides Florida marinas with boating charts and GPS coordinates that make it easy for boaters to make their way to the Bahamian destination of their choice.

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Bimini joins People to People renaissance

People to People continued its resurgence throughout The Bahamas as it was re-launched this month in Bimini.

In response to a Ministry of Tourism invitation, several Bimini residents volunteered as ambassadors for the People to People program on the island. The volunteers were trained for the program in a special workshop that prepared them for hosting guests from around the world.

Renee Robins of the Bimini Tourist Office said the workshop brought new life to People to People in Bimini.

“It started in Bimini in 1992 and after a while, it started to die down,” she said. “So now we are revamping it and re-launching it here in Bimini. Now we have a select group of Biminites that we can chose from when we have our diverse visitors come.”

Ms. Robins said a diverse group responded to the Ministry’s call for ambassadors. She said they are able to greet a variety of visitors who may vary in age, ethnicity and interests.

Hugh Rolle was one Bimini resident who offered to be a host to guests on the island. He was certain the new People to People program would benefit visitors greatly.

“I believe this coming to Bimini is going to give us an opportunity to be a part of a real tourist experience, giving them a real Bahamian experience with the people,” he said.

Mr. Rolle was eager to introduce guests to popular Bimini attractions and the culture of Bimini.

“Bimini is the gateway to The Bahamas, which means that before you go anywhere, you have to go through us,” he said. “We have the Fountain of Youth here, and if you want to live a long and healthy and young-looking life, you need to get some of that water.”

The group received instructions on how to host guests at home or at public places. People to People instructor Leslie Pinder presented on The Art of Entertaining and Table Setting and Décor.

“Keep simple,” Ms. Pinder told the new volunteers. “Be creative, stay within a personal budget.”

Ms. Pinder, who is a 10-year veteran of the program, was also able to offer advice from experience as a People to People host. She said she has seen how People to People makes a guest’s visit extraordinary.

“Once they are able to experience the People to People experience, they leave here with a better appreciation of Bahamian people and our country,” she said. “This program offers a little bit more than what they would get at a resort or hotel facility. It goes beyond that, creating that unique experience, which is of course long lasting.”

People to People organizers are planning additional programs for other Bahamian islands, including the southern islands.

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Tourism Minister foresees revolution in industry

Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe called for a tourism revolution on Thursday, July 19 as he gave a charge to new graduates of the Ministry of Tourism’s BahamaHost training program.

Minister Wilchcombe was speaking at his first BahamaHost graduation since returning as Minister of Tourism this year. He told graduates that the revolution has already begun with his Ministry, which will soon make announcements about some of its new initiatives.

“I am very happy to tell all of you that in a couple of weeks, we are going to be making some very big announcements, some big announcements that will reshape tourism, that will change some of the things that will cause new business to come to our country, that will be a whole new day because we have taken some revolutionary steps, and we will cause some things to happen that no other country in the region is doing right now,” Minister Wilchcombe said to applause. “Because we got to work immediately after elections to cause these things to happen.”

Minister Wilchcombe called on all Bahamians to join in the fight for a better tourism product and a better nation. He said all residents must take on a role for positive change.

“All of us in this country have to begin to take internal looks at who we are, appreciate that it starts with me, appreciate that we could change this nation, that we can reduce some of the problems and that we could cause things to happen,” he said.

Minister Wilchcombe presided over the graduation ceremony for 625 participants. The graduation, which added to a total of more than 35,000 BahamaHost graduates over more than three decades, was held at the Church of God Auditorium, Joe Farrington Road.

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Masons prepare for Bahamas conference

The Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe met with members of the Ancient and Accepted Order of Scottish Rite Masons of The Americas its territories and Dependencies recently as the group prepares for a large-scale conference.

The organization plans to host its annual conference in The Bahamas next year. Minister Wilchcombe is pictured with representatives of the international organization and the local group, the Commonwealth Mason and Order of Eastern Stars. (Photo: Derek Smith/BIS)

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A TASTE OF THE BAHAMAS AT MEGA INTERNATIONAL AVIATION EVENT

The Islands Of The Bahamas will launch a major promotion during the upcoming AirVenture Show, in Oshkosh, WI, that will feature the country’s culture, advise on the ease of flying to The Bahamas and identify the 700-island archipelagic nation as the ideal destination for general aviation pilots.

The promotion, a reception and dinner, will feature the music of the country’s world famous Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band. The band, a fully regaled British military-styled marching band, will perform cultural island songs. Bahamian cultural dancers will perform to the music of the band and Bahamian chefs will take over the kitchen at the Holiday Inn, Appleton, WI, to provide a Bahamian gourmet meal.

The Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, will lead the delegation from The Bahamas and bring greetings to the aviation executives and VIPs expected to attend.

After many years of taking part in EAA AirVenture, The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism’s General Manager for Aviation, Greg Rolle, will begin his historic role at EAA as the first non-U.S. chairman of the International Federal Partnership – a group of Federal agents from the U.S., Bahamas and Canada that share a booth annually at AirVenture.

Mr. Rolle is a veteran Ministry of Tourism employee, who has been with the organization for 25 years. He has served in various capacities, including Director of Sports Tourism. A licensed private pilot, Mr. Rolle returned to the leadership position of Tourism’s Aviation Department in 2008. Under his leadership, The Bahamas has stepped up its marketing initiatives against the lucrative aviation market. Signature programs include Bahamas Preferred (FBO) Gateways, Bahamas Flying Ambassadors and Bahamas Day. The inventive aviation strategies have thrust The Islands of The Bahamas into the spotlight of the international aviation arena.

AirVenture is the largest aviation show in the world attracting top government officials, corporate leaders and hundreds of thousands of general aviation enthusiasts. It embraces the entire spectrum of aviation and features some 20,000 aircraft on its fields, and well beyond 800,000 aviation enthusiasts that attend the show annually. The aviation event includes daily air shows, aerobatics and pyrotechnics Fly-In Theater, forums, workshops, and demonstrations.

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