The Tribune

Nearly 50 journalists and guests of US-based AFAR magazine were immersed in Bahamian culture during a recent familiarisation trip to this nation.

The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation (BMOTA) said the trip was especially valuable because each of the publication's founders, editors and content providers will write about their Bahamian experiences in articles and blogs that will reach over two million of the magazine's subscribers. AFAR content writers will also use social media and e-mails to promote The Bahamas.

The group was able to see, taste and feel Bahamian culture through experiences such as a welcome reception at Educulture; a courtesy call to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling at Government House; a Royal Bahamas Police Band "beat retreat" performance; lunch and a tour at Graycliff Resort; a People-to-People cooking experience; a reception at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas; painting on the beach with Antonius Roberts; a sailing experience and a beach party at the Maillis residence. Many of the 50 visitors extended their stays to visit other islands.

Dionisio D'Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, said: "This is the type of traveller that we want to attract. We want to tell them about how wonderful it is to come and visit The Bahamas, how amazing it is, how welcoming and warm the average Bahamian is.

"And now that they have experienced that in Nassau, they will experience that in other islands and I have no doubt that they will be blown away. Many destinations have great beaches. What we want to get out is the people and soul of The Bahamas. This is what makes The Bahamas special."

Joy Jibrilu, the Ministry of Tourism's director-general, added: "What this results in is scores of stories. The magazine will feature The Bahamas heavily in the year to come, and it's the type of publicity and the type of stories that we like to share," she said.

"The beauty of having an experience like this is that they really learn about the true, true culture of The Bahamas. They also learn that The Bahamas is a multiplicity of islands. They have such a great experience here and they are saying: 'Now, which is the next island I should visit?' They have reached out to friends, they are already planning to come back. So we have achieved the goal that we wanted."

AFAR co-founders, Greg Sullivan and Joseph Diaz, were among the group, and said The Bahamas was easy to promote because of its people and rich culture.

"There are so many stories here," Mr Diaz said. "When people think about The Bahamas, they think about the amazing beautiful waters and the beaches. But I think that there is just a lot underneath the surface. It's such an amazing opportunity for us to be able to peel back some of those layers and share that with the rest of the world.

"This country is rich in history, culture and culinary. So we are really trying to get off the proverbial tour bus and get to the kitchen table, and in people's homes and businesses. I think that there are so many other great things to discover."

"Our travellers travel every day," said Mr Sullivan. "They are always looking to explore and see what's interesting, and I think our audience is going to love seeing what is below the surface here in The Bahamas."

Ellen Asmodeo, AFAR's executive vice-president and chief revenue officer, said: "The Bahamas has exceeded our expectations. The topography in The Bahamas is unmatched.

"Even if you take a half an hour swim - it's a different place. The people of The Bahamas have been so gracious, so welcoming and so true to the heritage. We've learned more about people and that is something that you cannot find anywhere else."

Eric Lichtmess, a visitor who travelled to The Bahamas for the first time, added: "I think every moment has been remarkable. I've been to a lot of Caribbean islands, but the energy here is different. We got to connect with locals and going to their homes has really made the difference."