The Tribune

MINISTER of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe said his ministry is launching new initiatives to boost the country’s tourism product.

During an interview at the grand opening of The Cove, Eleuthera, Mr Wilchcombe explained that on March 21, the ministry will unveil a digital platform that will allow tourists to make diverse bookings at one site and explore the islands of the Bahamas.

“The digital platform provides a booking solution. The problem we have in the Bahamas is that people do not have an appreciation that we are more than just a capital city; and we must also remember that the Bahamas almost became Atlantis.

“So The Bahamas will now have a digital platform where you will be able to search our islands, search for the hotel you want, search for the airlift you want to get to the islands, search for rental vehicles, or whatever else you want to do. It is all free, none of the islands have to pay for it; none of the hotels have to pay for it; it is being done by the Ministry of Tourism,” Mr Wilchcombe said.

“It is a way to get people to discover the islands and get them here in the quickest possible way.”

He said ministry officials will attend various trade shows and travel around the world promoting the country’s high points.

“You know 10 or 15 years ago,” he said, “you might have focused on Nassau and maybe Grand Bahama, but look what is happening here.”

“I am told that now in Eleuthera, there is a new construction boom-taking place particularly in the Governor’s Harbour area where there is second home ownership.

“So it tells you that something special is taking place now and I think it is because the world’s economy is turning around, but it means that we have to get the message out, because why go to some of the islands in the Caribbean when you can come to the Bahamas and discover all that you want, and feel the Caribbean right here in the Bahamas?”

He said ministry officials will travel to Brazil at the end of April for the first ever World Tourism Council Meeting, where about 100 to 150 buyers and persons interested in what is happening in the tourism markets of the world will be represented.