The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WITH the Bahamas chosen as the hosts of the inaugural IAAF World Relays, it provides the country with another opportunity to explore what Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson calls “the business of sport” and reap the benefits of the sports tourism industry.

Addressing the information and marketing launch of the event yesterday at the British Colonial Hilton, Dr Johnson said the event, scheduled for May 24-25, 2014 continues toward the Bahamas’ ultimate goal of its sports tourism model.

“The purpose of this event and the purpose of our government and our people trying to make this happen is very simple. We have a goal in mind and that goal is a singular goal,” he said. “We have the goal of becoming the number one sports destination in the region.”

The Bahamas recently garnered international attention with the back-to-back NBA champions Miami Heat hosting the first portion of their training camp at the Atlantis resort just weeks ago.

On the heels of that “big ticket” event, according to sports tourism director Greg Rolle, the Bahamas and Complete Sports Management joined forces with the Mid-American Conference to create the first of six consecutive Bahamas Bowl, division one college football games to be played at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“In order to reach this goal, this is what we have decided upon. We are taking on real events that are international events and have global international appeal. We are taking on events that have major commercial value,” he said. “For the World Relays, you will see 30,000 people in the Bahamas participating in this event and the events surrounding this and there is an economic impact of these kind of events. We led the way in a few other areas and we want to conquer sports tourism. We want to be the first to host this, the most exciting, most prestigious, most talked about event in track and field history ever, and it’s happening right here in the Bahamas,” he said.

Government officials projected that the Bahamas would generate $14 million in sports tourism for 2013. However, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said last week that revenue could exceed that number.

“We believe this is going to inject a significant amount of money into the economy. It was projected somewhere around $14 million last year. I think it’s going to be much more than that. We haven’t worked out a figure as yet,” he said. “We just announced the Bowl games that are going to be coming here next December. They’re all products of the Ministry of Tourism.”

The extent of the Bahamas’ sports tourism model has included a wide cross- section of sports.

In the upcoming months, NCAA college basketball will come to our shores with the Battle 4 Atlantis and the Junkanoo Jam over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Bahamas Speedweek Revival will host its third edition and, in January, the LPGA will begin its season with the PureSilk Bahamas Open.

“We’re going to have beach volleyball. The LPGA starts in January, then there is the IAAF World Relays. We’re partnering with the Ministry of Sports as well,” Wilchcombe said. “All of these efforts are a part of our sports tourism efforts to get more visitors here so the Bahamas would become renowned as a place where sports enthusiasts or the athletes can come to vacation.”