The Tribune

The Bahamas has "seized additional business opportunities for its tourism and aviation sectors" at the world's largest international aviation conference.

Captain Greg Rolle, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation's senior director of vertical markets and aviation, said The Bahamas had "made quite an impression" at the EAA AirVenture Conference in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Captain Rolle, who is the only non-North American to have served as chairman of the International Federal Partnership (IFP), said: "The Bahamas is the only country, outside of the USA and Canada, to be a part of the prestigious IFP, which works closely with Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) representatives on this event.

"The Bahamas government plays a pivotal and influential role in IFP, and has a respected voice that moves our tourism and aviation industry forward to benefit our country."

Ellison Thompson, the ministry's deputy director-general, who attended the conference for the first time, said: "This conference has always been rewarding for us. As an IFP member, participation in the conference makes us privy to vast opportunities - ranging from individual and group travel to The Bahamas, and the addition of new airline programmes and partnerships, to upcoming trends and new FAA policies and regulations facing the aviation sector.

"Being privy to such information in advance helps us to better plan, safeguard and implement the necessary and appropriate measures to capitalise on these opportunities and/or mitigate possible fall-outs arising from them. Additionally, our presence at the conference allows us to further build on new and existing relationships with the media, general aviation pilots and our US federal government agencies inclusive of its customs, immigration, agriculture and border control departments."

Mr Thompson added: "Pilots' confidence and interest in our islands has grown substantially over the past year, based on the high number of requests for Bahamas information and capacity filled seminars which our flying ambassadors conducted daily for pilots.

"Almost 600 pilots attended our 'Flying To The Bahamas' seminars, all of which reached standing room levels, and were attended by pilots interested in either flying to The Bahamas individually or in groups. This will especially benefit our Family Islands."

Representatives from government agencies, including the Meteorology Department; Royal Bahamas Police Force; Bahamas Customs; and Immigration are scheduled to attend a one-week training programme next month that is being offered by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - an agreement reached at this year's conference.