The Tribune

The Ministry of Tourism has secured two major events that are expected to attract thousands of African-American visitors to this nation in 2015.

According to the Ministry’s director for the African-American market, Linville Johnson, plans are underway for a black women’s empowerment conference at Baha Mar, which is expected to bring 5,000 to 8,000 visitors to New Providence next year.

A music festival for Grand Bahama is also in the making, and the proposed event is projected to attract anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 visitors to that island.

“This market is very important to our tourism industry because we have a shared affinity for heritage and culture. African-Americans primarily travel in groups for reunions, fraternal, religious, and civic events, conferences and meetings,” Mr Johnson said.

“These meetings and groups will help make up the Bahamas hotel industry’s ideal 20-70 group to individual travel business mix.”

Research shows that this segment of the American population represents one of the fastest growing markets in the travel industry.

As part of the Ministry’s efforts to increase the Bahamas’ visibility in the African-American market, minister of tourism, Obie Wilchcombe, and a team attended the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CDCF) 44th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in Washington, DC.

ALC is described as the main gathering of African-Americans, attracting around 8,000 influential men and women throughout the US each year. Mr Johnson said the four-day conference opened many doors for the Bahamas.

“We were able to build and maintain critical and meaningful relationships with key leaders in the African-American community, including those from the travel and tourism industry, Government, and religious community who attend this annual event,” he said.

Tourism officials met with the principals of several travel and business news magazines, including Black Enterprise, Pathfinders and Black Meetings and Tourism.

The event also provided an opportunity to build on the ministry’s longstanding partnership with Radio One Inc, a multi-media company that primarily targets African-American consumers.

Hundreds of guests who attended a special Radio One event following the CBCF Phoenix Awards Dinner received Islands of the Bahamas gift bags filled with promotional items and paraphernalia.

“These projected events for next year are the result of the developed and maintained partnership with Radio and TV One in the Washington/Maryland area,” Mr Johnson said.

The women’s empowerment conference and music festival are still in the early planning stages. Tourism officials will reveal details of each event at a later date.