The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

DISNEY Cruise Line yesterday said it was committed to Eleuthera’s long-term growth by asserting that “we expect to be there for 100-plus years” with its Lighthouse Point destination.

Joseph Gaskins, the cruise line’s regional public affairs director for The Bahamas and Caribbean, reaffirmed that the south Eleuthera project is scheduled to open in June 2024 ahead of his presentation at the upcoming Eleuthera Business Outlook conference on April 20.

He said: “We are just over a year out of our opening of Lighthouse Point. We announced our first itineraries last week so, in June 2024, Eleutherans can expect the first Disney cruise ships to begin sailing to Lighthouse Point. We’re very excited about that.

“Disney is committed to Eleuthera. This is not a 10-year project. This is not a 20-year project. We are putting our concrete in the ground, and we expect to be there for 100-plus years. So there is going to be growing opportunity around the development whether businesses are ready now or in the future. We are committed to helping those businesses in Eleuthera develop, take advantage of the opportunities and to grow the local economy there.”

Mr Gaskins said the upcoming Business Outlook conference will provide an opportunity for Disney Cruise Line to provide construction updates, plus announce entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians in food and beverage and port excursions and tours.

He said “This positions us I think in a great way to talk about the project at Eleuthera business outlook, to update the community on the progress that we’re making as it relates to our construction and as we prepare to open. But what is really important and what I’m really excited about doing at Eleuthera business outlook is beginning to introduce the community to the opportunities that small business owners-entrepreneurs will have as it relates to supporting our operations.”

The Disney official added: “We have a number of sub-contracting opportunities available to Bahamians as it relates to port excursions and tours, food and beverage facility services. And we’re going to be talking a little bit about not just what those opportunities are, but also how Eleutherans and Bahamians generally can take advantage of it.

“On top of that, we’re using the Eleuthera Business Outlook to allow our team members from strategic sourcing, from our port excursions teams, from our operation integrations team, to engage with the private sector and Eleuthera. It is the first time that these teams are going to be all down together.

“And it provides us with a fantastic opportunity to use this gathering of Eleuthera’s private sector to ensure that we are shaking hands, pressing the flesh, making sure that we’re meeting the right people so that we can advance these opportunities, like I said, for Eleutherans and Bahamians. So we’re very, very excited about this opportunity.”

Mr Gaskin reinforced that Bahamians will have first priority when it comes to providing support services to Lighthouse Point as its passengers will prefer a more culturally-rich experience provided by locals. “As it relates to port excursions and adventures, Bahamians have first priority,” he added. “As it relates to food and beverage, we have to source a minimum of 5 percent of our products from the Bahamas; from Bahamian business owners.

“We also see opportunities in facility management, vehicle maintenance, landscaping, the provision of other services that keep our operations going. So those are the kinds of things that we are looking at - authentic sauces, authentic food products, beverages, heritage tours.

“What we’re finding as far as the trends in tourism are concerned [is that] cultural engagement, heritage engagement, from an island that has such a rich and distinct culture, like Eleuthera, is definitely something that Disney Cruise Line passengers would be happy to be immersed in.”

Mr Gaskins said Disney’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce has helped provide more than $150,000 in grant financing to local businesses. He added: “Three or four years ago, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) and Access Accelerator. That partnership, we invested $1m into it.

“It resulted in the build-out of the Small Business Development hub, where the Eleuthera Outlook is being held, as well as programming over the last two years for small businesses in central and south Eleuthera - business development training and grant funding.

“We’ve provided over $150,000 in grants to over 30 businesses in Eleuthera, and we are now renegotiating our support for the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce and SBDC as we move towards operations to ensure that we continue that support, but also do that in a strategic way that pours into the businesses in south and central Eleuthera across Eleuthera, so that they are not only able to take advantage of the opportunities that we’re providing, but also prepared to do that.”

Vendor fairs will be announced for Eleuthera and New Providence, and Mr Gaskins is welcoming all entrepreneurs to engage Disney’s team on how they can elevate their product to a level that meets the demands of global corporations.

He added: “Following the Eleuthera Business Outlook we will be hosting vendor/supplier fairs in Eleuthera and in Nassau just a few days after. We [will] launch our online vendor portal where small businesses can sign up and get one-on-one meetings with our teams.

“We’re looking at opportunities for established businesses, people who are thinking about starting a business, who may have an idea; big businesses who’ve been doing this stuff already, or folks who are looking at getting started. We’re welcoming everybody to have conversations with us to really understand the opportunities, and also understand the standard at which Disney operates as a global corporation, and look at your operations and see how we can maybe help you raise the standard of your own operations, with the hope that by doing this, you’re not only creating the potential to partner with Disney, but also as these developments come to Eleuthera, you will be at a standard where you can supply your products and services to every other investor that is coming to Eleuthera.”