The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

A CREATIVE risk taker, and sometimes mover and shaker, is how Sherice Major is known to many Bahamians.

She is already a successful entrepreneur and well-known in the field of media as well as the tourism industry, and now Sherice as added a new, innovative app to her list of accomplishments.

Her mobile travel app is called “IslandBreak” and aims to be a one-stop shop for visitors and prospective visitors to the Bahamas. Sherice’s goal is to ensure that persons are able to find everything that they need or want before and during their trip to the Bahamas.

“A few years ago, I travelled to London and during my planning phase I decided to download a few mobile apps to learn about the interesting things to do before I arrived. I had planned to buy a few guidebooks before I left, but the apps that I downloaded had everything and more that I needed. The apps worked perfectly and my first thought was, ‘Why doesn’t the Bahamas have an app?’, and like they say, the rest is history,” Sherice told Tribune Woman.

With the new app, now available for iPhone and soon for Android users as well, is all about anticipating a visitor’s needs and delivering. In addition, Sherice said it is also about exposing the Family Islands to the world, as many visitors do not know that there are 16 major islands in the Bahamas.

“The app is doing its part in educating them as well as exposing small and medium size businesses to those visitors. In the future we hope to expand the IslandBreak travel brand. We don’t want to limit ourselves to just the Bahamas, the world is waiting,” said Sherice.

The app, is a complete what-to-do travel guide for not only visitors, but locals as well. IslandBreak guides its users to the best down-home eateries, must-see historical sites, hotels, beaches, tours and more. Major islands such as New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini, the Abacos, the Exumas and Eleuthera can be found featured on the new app.

Additional features include the fact that the guide can be viewed offline. Visitors are able to navigate around the islands without incurring unnecessary roaming charges or worrying about lack of service. There are also ready-made itineraries, so there will be no need to waste time trying to find out what to do. Each island guide comes complete with personalised itineraries for a true island experience.

IslandBreak app users can also discover what’s nearby, using the detailed map feature. Visitors have the ability to plot out their island adventure. Maps include all major points of interest on all of the islands.

“Bahamians are now exploring the islands more than ever and have been very receptive to the app,” Sherice said.

“I have had a few people e-mail me about their summer plans and how the app has come at such an opportune time. I’ve had a few e-mail me to say that they will be sharing with their clients and friends. I must say, it’s been nothing but amazing feedback so far. To know that one person downloaded was a success to me in itself.”

Sherice said she has always believed that people are born with gifts and talents, and from she was a little girl she knew what she wanted to do with her life to some degree. She always knew that she had a lot to say, and needed people to hear.

For her, there’s no greater feeling than being able to inform and entertain, as she gets to use her God-given talents and abilities to promote a country that she loves dearly, a country that she feels is the best little country in the world. Being able to share with the world all the Bahamas has to offer is amazing to her.

“The best part for me is being able to be as creative as I want to be. There are no restrictions; not having to colour inside the lines and just letting my personality shine freely through everything that I put my signature to. There are no two days alike and there’s always something new and interesting and exciting waiting to create,” said Sherice.

Apart from the Bahamas, New York has always been one of her favourite places in the world and is the city from where she draws most of her inspiration.

During her college years in the city, Sherice took up the hobby of blogging, starting her very own personal celebrity blog entitled SheSoMajor.

“I recently restarted the blog after shutting it down after five years, and I no longer focus on celebrities. Blogging helped me to hone many of the skills that I did not learn in the classroom and it also acted like a New Age resume. I learned how to navigate the digital space, learning to build websites, coding, marketing, as well as the ins and outs of social media,” Sherice said.