The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A STEADY stream of cruise passengers has seen numbers exceed those before the pandemic, according to a Bay Street businessman.

Byron Coley, owner of Tiki Bikini Hut, told Tribune Business cruise passengers are spending with local businesses while in port but there is a need to diversify tourism offerings to capitalise on the volume of visitors that visit our shores daily.

“There’s been more cruise passengers and more foot traffic since the season began. From about December 14 until now it’s been better than its has been since pre-COVID,” said Mr Coley.

“I think the people are spending but we have to diversify our product. I think people want to spend, but there’s only so many jewellery stores and souvenir stores that they want to see. We need to diversify the product, so we adopt many more options. We are limiting our opportunities because we’re not expand in our horizons.”

Mr Coley said locals are “underestimating” the potential impact of cruise passenger spending which can be further increased by providing more activities and products to engage them while visiting.

He said cruise passengers are willing to spend with local businesses but we must make offerings available and advertised to cruise passengers.

“We keep underestimating these persons but they probably come from places that have the most disposable income in the world and if you have it for them to spend, they will spend it on you. We have all of these tourists coming and they are not coming off the boat saying I am not going to spend,” said Mr Coley.

“When you are abroad, and go into the malls to buy one thing and come up with 20 things its simply because there are so many things to choose from. There’s subliminal messaging and such good sales and marketing at the end of the trip you have 100 things. I don’t think that we are sufficiently pushing our product and we should have a whole range of things available for our guests.”

He said visitors are calling for more “authentic Bahamian” experiences that immerse them into the art, entertainment and culture of our islands instead of activities at mega resorts.

“They want more of the authentic Bahamian experiences. They want more of the Junkanoo they always hear about and see advertised. They want more art, culture, entertainment and food. That’s the Bahamas that they want.

“They don’t want to see big construction buildings and mega resorts, they want to be on the ground. They want to see how we live and eat what we eat. They want our culture, and they’re not getting enough of that.”