The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Prime Minister yesterday urged the Bahamas to “fully capitalise” on cultural and heritage tourism, foreshadowing plans for a maritime museum and ‘Over-the-Hill’ native food market.

Dr Hubert Minnis, in an address to Bahamas Hotel Tourism Association(BHTA) members, said that focusing on these two areas would both help diversify the tourism industry and unleash its “considerable untapped potential”, while meeting traveller demands for more authentic experiences.

He added that such a focus would also help boost Bahamian tourism industry ownership, and aid his administration’s objective of developing more local entrepreneurs.

“Twenty-first century travellers seek more than the proverbial sun, sand and sea,” Dr Minnis said. “They travel in search of unique and authentic experiences....

“We must fully capitalise on our culture and heritage to add a more vibrant visitor experience.”

The Prime Minister said the Bahamas’ “richly textured culture” left it well-placed capitalise on these tourism niches, given the country’s history and traditions in music, art, food, dance and crafts.

Dr Minnis’s call is nothing new, as the Bahamas has long been urged to infuse more local culture and history into its tourism product as a means to increase visitor spending and expand the market.

However, this nation has been relatively slow on the uptake, and has continued to rely on mega, all-inclusive resorts as the centrepiece of its tourism product, together with the old appeal of sun, sand and sea.

Some, though, have already heeded the Prime Minister’s call. Atlantis is currently moving to inject a more authentic ‘Bahamian experience’ into its product via local food and beverage offerings. Tribune Business understands a Bahamian ice cream outlet is opening in the Royal Towers, with leading Arawak Cay and Potter’s Cay restaurant operators set to move into Paradise Island’s Marina Village.

Outlining his administration’s priorities and vision, Dr Minnis said “heritage experiences” were key to increasing cruise passenger spending.

“We are nowhere near monetising the number of cruise ship passengers coming to the Bahamas,” he said, pledging that the Government was “committed to completing the Museum of the Bahamas” as an attraction for both residents and tourists.

“Cruise passengers throughout the world visit museums,” Dr Minnis added. “Imagine if New Providence can provide more of these experiences. Imagine if a maritime museum was located at the Lowell J Mortimer Maritime Institute, with a virtual reality experience and models of vessels, such as sloops and a scaled-down version of a pirate ship. I understand the Institute is interested in creating such a museum.”

The Prime Minister said the Government planned to follow the UK’s lead, and brand heritage and historical sites in the Bahamas with the ‘Aqua Plaque’ - a signage similar to the UK’s ‘Blue Plaque’.

Dr Minnis explained that the latter was attached to buildings to show their link to famous, historical persons and events. “I suggest that we develop the Aqua Plaque that can be used as a heritage marker in the Bahamas,” he added.

The Prime Minister then revealed that a “prototype” for the Aqua Plaque had already been developed by Bahamian designer, Carla Whittingham, to designate significant and historic sites in this nation, and their connection to prominent Bahamians.

“I am hereby directing the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Tourism to collaborate in making this a reality as soon as possible,” he added.

Recalling how previous FNM governments had created the Arawak Cay Fish Fry and new Straw Market, Dr Minnis promised that his administration will build “a native food market” Over-The-Hill as a way to showcase the Bahamas’ authentic culinary offerings.

“Many cities, countries brag about their native food,” Dr Minnis said. “Many you as old as I, and older, remember the Fish Market on Market Street......” He added that the proposed project would generate entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians, highlight Bahamian art and serve as “a major economic empowerment and revitalisation project” by bringing tourist and resident spending Over-the-Hill.

The Prime Minister, in an address that outlined the ‘broad brush’ goals rather than execution plans, implies that tourism diversification was easier to reach than diversifying the wider Bahamian economy.

“We are confronted with the challenge of growing an economy that has been stagnant for several years,” he conceded. “We are in a climate of unprecedented competition in the global and regional marketplace.

“A common lament is our economy is not diversified enough. While diversification is needed, there is extraordinary diversification that can still be gained in tourism.

“A leading hotelier in the Bahamas was at a conference in Jamaica where there was a concern about the opening of Cuba, and what it means for the region. His reply was: ‘Wait till the Bahamas really opens up, and see what that will mean for tourism in the Bahamas’,” Dr Minnis said.

“His point was that tourism has considerable untapped potential potential.”

Stressing that tourism acted as the launching platform to create other industries, Dr Minnis said the Baha Mar saga had taught the Bahamas “a great lesson” about relying solely on foreign direct investment (FDI) and one project to grow the tourism economy.

This linked directly to the Government’s desire to increase Bahamian tourism industry ownership and unlock local entrepreneurship, the Prime Minister focusing on airline services and computer software as niches ripe for domestic involvement.