The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH the US and Canada represents almost 90 per cent of the total number of visitors to the Bahamas, a prominent Grand Bahama businessman/hotelier says more focus must be placed on Latin American travellers.

Russell Miller, CEO of Modalena Co Ltd, and chairman of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, said the population of Latin America exceeds that of both US and Canada combined. With over 500 million people Latin America represents just under two per cent of the total visitors to the Bahamas.

“This must change – we can’t have all our eggs in one basket,” Mr Miller said at the Bahamahost graduation last month.

According to an article in the Latin American Herald Tribune online, the number of tourists from Latin American countries is on the rise. It also stated that countries like Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and especially Brazil are being watched attentively by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), because of the “interesting growth” in the number of international tourists coming from those countries.

Mr Miller reported that over the past decade some 56 million more people joined the ranks of the middle class in Latin America. By 2050, he said, the largest world economies will be China, the United States, India, and the Latin American countries of Brazil and Mexico.

“Three of the world’s largest economies will be in our hemisphere – that’s exciting for our future,” Mr Miller said.

However, with so many choices available to today’s travellers, he said it is important that Bahamians everywhere ensure that “its better in the Bahamas.” He noted that tourism is the country’s lifeblood and represents over 51 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Mr Miller also pointed out that 61 cents of every dollar earned by Bahamians comes from tourism, which is also the catalyst for 100,000 jobs. “It’s contributed to us having the third highest per capita income of any independent country in the western hemisphere,” he added.

Mr Miller believes that enormous potential and opportunities exists for the Bahamas, which has more than 50 airports – including 17 international airports – 22 docks, 30 power plants and more than 220 cell phone towers compared to some other Caribbean countries.

“As a country, much is being done to prepare for the future. We must continue to do so, especially in the development of our people through education and training,” he said.

He said that throughout the Bahamas airports and utilities are being upgraded, which will pave the way for future investments in the Family Islands. “All of this, in a backdrop of a growing and largely untapped tourism market, this spells tremendous opportunity for our people and our nation.”

Mr Miller commended the Ministry of Tourism for implementing the Bahamahost programme, which provides training for Bahamians in the hospitality and tourism industry.

He said since 1978, 33,000 persons in the Bahamas have graduated from the programme.