The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Nassau Cruise Port’s operator yesterday said it continues to target a $400m increase in annual passenger spend while making its retail and food offerings stand out from the crowd.

Michael Maura, the Prince George Wharf operator’s chief executive, told Tribune Business that it hoped the new infrastructure, combined with additional entertainment and attractions, will help raise per capita cruise passenger spending by another $100 compared to the $55-$60 yields achieved pre-COVID.

Optimistic that the revived waterfront will entice more passengers off their vessels in port, he added: “If we can get $100 more from these visitors, which is not more than is spent in St Maarten and St Thomas, based on 4m passengers a year that’s $400m in additional income. It’s going into the pockets of taxi drivers, straw vendors, food and beverage; everyone else.”

The Nassau Cruise Port chief said the facility is also seeking to differentiate its retail and restaurant offering from what exists at Atlantis, Baha Mar and on downtown Bay Street by focusing on authentically Bahamian offerings.

Besides the original 50 Festival Place vendors inherited by the operator, who can all sign a lease and remain, Mr Maura said six larger retail operators - who he did not name - have all been identified.

“These are, again, authentically Bahamian but have more capacity,” he explained. “They have distribution, manufacturing and have the ability to put authentic Bahamian product on their shelves and keep it there.”

As for the five food and beverage spaces, Mr Maura said the Nassau Cruise Port was seeking to establish a partnership with the University of The Bahamas’ culinary department so “talented Bahamian chefs can go and spend some time” providing authentic local dishes to visitors.

“We are not satisfied with fried snapper, cracked conch and boil fish even though I love them. You can get that in so many other places. We want to bring an artistic perspective to Bahamian cuisine so that visitors say: ‘This was the best experience of my life’. That’s the branding and reputation that we want to come from these food and beverage spaces,” he added.

“Take what’s coming from our seas and land, and make it world class. That’s going to help brand the location and the spend. It’s going to be authentic cuisine. That’s why we don’t have any luxury brands in our space. The luxury brands are at Atlantis, on Bay Street, Baha Mar.

“What’s the sense in duplicating what already exists here in Nassau? We want to create something that is unique, something authentic. We have the tenants. We have identified the persons after a year-and-a-half of work.”