The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHAT are our actual, net stay-over visitor levels? How many ‘oo’s do we attract by holding Government meetings, etc…?

Is the 1.25 million stay-over visitor level a true level of private visitors?

Count up the numerous official government-sponsored and paid-for meetings, etc, each probably bringing in a minimum of 100 persons. The current ICAO meeting they say represents views for some 150 countries, possibly times three-four.

I have to suggest the true private tourist level could be as low as 850,000 not the 1.25 million fan fared by the Ministry of Tourism.

Tiger Woods Golf Tournament last weekend... Sunday I was watching it for about two hours then Bahamas Power and Light crashed, but in those two hours not once did the commentators mention The Bahamas - Nassau or even Albany - can someone at tourism explain what was the use of holding the tournament here?

I have to suggest the performance of tourism has not just been a disaster, it is a total disaster considering when an attendee to a Government Convention seminar meeting their stay is probably paid for and they are civil servants who don’t have too much money to spend. Is it we are simply putting people in beds?

We constantly hear that expression from the Ministry of Tourism... This event created so many bed nights.

Popeye American Football it will be the same – the bleachers will be half-empty and Ministry of Tourism will call it a fantastic success.

MARCIA SMITH

Nassau,

December 6, 2016.