NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tourism industry leaders have outlined a broad agenda of priorities for the sector after meeting with newly appointed Minister of Tourism Glenys Hanna-Martin and senior officials from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism to discuss critical issues affecting the country’s number one industry.
Senior executives from The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), including President Jackson Weech, Immediate Past President Robert “Sandy” Sands, Vice President for Family Islands Victor Karavias, BHTA Executive Vice President Suzanne Pattusch, Executive Director of The Bahamas Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB) Kerry Fountain and Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) CEO Joy Jibrilu, met with Hanna-Martin, Parliamentary Secretary Randy Rolle, Director General Latia Duncombe and Deputy Director General/Director of Aviation Dr. Kenneth Romer.
According to the BHTA, the meeting focused on “aligned perspectives and objectives” for advancing the tourism industry.
“We were pleased to participate in a frank, open, invigorating, and insightful dialogue with Minister Hanna-Martin, and senior representatives from the BMOT,” Weech said. “We look forward to continuing to build upon our foundation of trust and partnership, intensifying and deepening the level and frequency of meaningful engagement opportunities between our respective organizations to achieve strategic, aligned outcomes for the betterment of the people of The Bahamas.”
Weech added: “I think it is fair to say we agree, there is much work to be done, and common objectives are best attained through communication, collaboration and the apt leveraging of cross sectoral public and private sector partnership and engagement; the sharing of expertise, experience, insights and the apt allocation of financial resources that will get the job done.”
During the meeting, the BHTA and its promotion board partners highlighted their key focus areas and expressed their commitment to working collaboratively with Hanna-Martin, Team Tourism, fellow ministries and quasi-public and private sector agencies to advance shared goals.
Among the industry’s priorities are workforce development, youth training and empowerment, visitor stopover growth, airlift development with a focus on the Family Islands, improving critical infrastructure throughout The Bahamas, enhancing the country’s tourism product — particularly the jet ski industry and taxi experience — supporting local sourcing and entrepreneurship, protecting and promoting authentic guest experiences, Bahamian culture and heritage, broadening participation in the tourism economy through increased tourism spending, and ensuring all beneficiaries of the tourism industry contribute fairly to the public purse to support these initiatives.
The BHTA also stressed the importance of greater private sector involvement in shaping tourism-related policies, saying representative organizations such as the BHTA and other industry associations should be meaningfully consulted when the government is considering legislation affecting the tourism sector so they can provide “boots on the ground” perspectives as owners and operators across the tourism ecosystem.
