The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas is "in the best position in the Caribbean" to target the lucrative group travel market, a senior tourism official saying yesterday: "We see this as having huge growth potential."

Joy Jibrilu, pictured, the director-general of tourism, speaking at a Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework and Disaster Risk Management workshop, said: "We just feel that we are poised for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) market.

"With the opening of Baha Mar, and also with Atlantis, which has been our standard-bearer for groups and meetings, The Bahamas is in the best position in the region. Our proximity to the United States gives us an advantage.

"The interest has been keen. People are blown away by the meeting spaces that are available. We are finding that our Family Islands are also proving popular for group meetings."

Mrs Jibrilu added that Exuma, Grand Bahama and Bimini, particularly the Hilton hotel on the latter island, have been popular group meetings spots.

She said: "We see this as having a huge growth potential for us. We are on top of it. We are at every event that deals with the MICE market." Mrs Jibrilu added that The Bahamas is set to host the State of the Tourism Industry conference in Nassau next week - the largest industry event on the annual calendar.

Mrs Jibrilu, who recently attended the Japan Tourism Expo, and made a presentation to Japanese travel agents, airlines, tour operators and media as Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) chairman, said that country presents a potential market for this nation to tap.

"There are 20 million Japanese who travel every year. They spend a minimum of seven nights and spend a lot of money," she said.

"We found out that, in 2017, 40,000 visitors from Japan came to the Caribbean region. Most went to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The Bahamas received 1,400 visitors. I was pleasantly surprised at that. That number speaks to the possibilities."