The Tribune

BAHAMIAN marinas have partnered to combat this nation's "under-performance" in boating tourism by launching a website that features a booking engine and call centre links.

The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM), in a statement issued yesterday, said the website contains multiple on-line services and products designed to separate this nation and its boating competitors.

Supported by Dockwa, a boater-facing on-line service that allows boaters to nd marinas and make reservations 24 hours a day, the booking engine is intended to mirror the on-line travel agencies that have revolutionised stopover travel and hotel accommodation.

Dockwa's reservation management system will allows users of the ABM website marinas to track all their reservations, and collect payment, with a user-friendly software interface.

For the ABM's 29 member marinas, Dockwa's management software will streamline the reservation process.

The partnership with Dockwa aims to expand a marina's marketing reach and improve customer experience, while also increasing operational efficiency and freeing up time for marina staff.

Dockwa also recently acquired Marinas.com, which has more than eight million unique visitors, and a very large boat owner database and social media reach.

The ABM sees this as opening new market penetration opportunities for its member marinas.

"The ABM has adopted a very assertive attitude," said association president, Stephen Kappeler. "We firmly believe that the Bahamas has been under-performing in the boating market, so we decided to ramp things up a notch.

"Our partnership with Dockwa gives our member marinas the tools and visibility necessary to attract more customers, enhance guest experience, streamline marina operations and, ultimately, generate more revenue."

The National Marine Manufacturers Association of America estimates that spending on recreational boats and related costs totalled more than $35 billion in 2014, with nearly 36 per cent of Americans taking to the water at least once. Conservative estimates of the business currently received by the Bahamas put the sector's economic contribution at just $46.3 million.

The ABM said it had been encouraged by a recent Caribbean Development Bank report, which asserted: "To a certain extent, yacht tourists are similar to long-stay tourists, but because of their longer length of stay and patterns of spending, they may generate more benefit to the local economy than regular tourists. "In addition, part of the spending by yachters tends to be specific to the industry, and in many cases, has stricter ties to the local economies than other forms of spending by tourists."

"Boating is not an inexpensive pursuit", said Captain Peter Maury, the ABM's immediate past president. "It costs good money to get into it, and even more to remain active.

"The visitors we receive by boat have the ability, and the need, to spend generously once they get here. The extent to which we can make it easier for them to make arrangements will eventually contribute positively to our economy."

The ABM's booking engine is supported by a call centre, run by Bahamian Beth Watson. The call centre is a 'one stop shop' for travellers to the Bahamas, with the ability to make slip and hotel reservations at all 29 member properties, as well as flight reservations for those not travelling by boat, with just one phone call - telephone (toll-free: 844-556-5290, or US.: 954-462-4591), or email reservations@bahamamarinas.com.