Bahamas is feeling the heat in Florida

As of Friday, August 10, 2012

Obie Wilchcombe

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday his ministry was focused heavily on Florida, telling Tribune Business that the Bahamas had lost some market share there.

“Our focus is heavily in the Florida market because we lost some market share in Florida, so the immediate thing to do is go where you have a presence,” said Minister Wilchcombe.

“We are now reassociating ourselves with the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat. We’re talking about the regular season. You’re going to see our presence. We are going to be in a stadium where you have 70,000 at a football game, 20,000 at a basketball game and of course baseball. The whole idea is to get more and more people involved in what we are doing, to get sporting organisations to stage events and to get more people to come to our country,” said Mr Wilchcombe.

The minister said visitor arrivals were up about 7-8 per cent over last year although he said that for him that was not good enough.

“That’s good enough to say we are doing better than we did last year,” said Wilchcombe.

Mr Wilchombe said that more than $100 million could be pumped into the Bahamian economy from sports tourism by 2014, exceeding previous predictions by the ministry of tourism. “Truth is it can be more, it’s what you do,” said Mr Wilchcombe who said the Bahamas was set to host a major golf tournament next year and was also working towards hosting a major tennis event.

Ontario 12 years, 4 months ago

The NBA fans are mostly local, on the other hand NHL teams (2) have stands full of visitors with pockets full of money. Maybe dropping the resort fees and a few other charges on the total of the room bills would help as well.

proudloudandfnm 12 years, 4 months ago

I think a better idea is to market the bahamas in places like Missouri, Wisonsin, Wyoming places that are landlaocked and cold. Offer good packages and get airlines involved. The east coast knows the Bahamas, they've patronized us for decades now they look to other places for their get aways. But in cold nothern landloacked places we could sell our product and get very good results. Time for someone in this country to start thinking outside the damned box!!!

Ontario 12 years, 4 months ago

Those states and Washington go to Mexico and Hawaii, the gamblers go to Vegas, Reno & Lake Tahoe . All these places are cheaper than Nassau and have more creature comforts. In the 60s & 70 the Bahamas catered to Ontario Canada & were quite busy but for some reason they have refrained from doing so. If they want to put butts in the seats of the Crystal Palace, Atl & Freeport I would suggest adverts in racing journals and sports mags in the North East U.S. & Southern Ont.

spoitier 12 years, 4 months ago

Another thing is they have to give better prices for the hotels, the purpose is to bring them into the country and let them spend the money in the Bahamas.