The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

TRIBUNE Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

A digital guide that allows travellers to book guided outdoor tours in The Bahamas, such as bonefishing, has officially been launched.

Digital Sportsman says it has officially launched DS Guide, marking the latest phase of the US-based company’s expansion into the Bahamian tourism sector. DS Guide is a consumer-facing online marketplace that allows travellers to instantly book guided outdoor experiences in The Bahamas and US, further aiding its expansion into the lucrative fly and bonefishing industry.

The launch builds on Digital Sportsman’s partnership with the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA), which saw the company introduce its business management platform to local guides and lodges. The new DS Guide marketplace now allows travellers to search for, and directly book, those same operators online.

Michelle Faul, of Digital Sportsman, said the launch represents an evolution of the company’s existing platform rather than an entirely new business. “Digital Sportsman launched in 2025 as a booking and business management platform for guides, lodges and outfitters,” she said.

“The year of preparation we referenced was specific to our Bahamian launch, working alongside the BFFIA to bring guides and lodges on to the platform and building out the onboarding, payments and business tools they need to operate. That groundwork is what made the Bahamas ready.

“DS Guide is the newest extension of the Digital Sportsman platform. It’s our consumer-facing marketplace, so travellers searching for their next trip or experience can now discover and book those same Bahamian guides and lodges directly.”

The platform launched with more than 250 outdoor experiences across the US and The Bahamas, and features verified, licensed guides offering fly-fishing trips targeting bonefish and tarpon. Travellers can also book lodge accommodations through the platform.

Digital Sportsman has entered into an exclusive partnership with the BFFIA, making DS Guide the only platform where travellers can book both affiliated guides and participating lodge accommodations in one place, according to the company.

Rather than forecasting booking volumes or market penetration, Ms Faul said the company’s success will be measured by the performance of Bahamian operators using the platform.

“What I can tell you is how we measure success: Guides actively taking bookings, repeat travellers and revenue landing directly with Bahamian operators,” she said.

Although The Bahamas’ fly-fishing industry has been estimated to generate roughly $400m annually, Ms Faul said Digital Sportsman is not focused on capturing a specific share of that market.

“We’re not thinking about it in terms of market share,” she said. “We measure success by the success of our guides, lodges and operators: Are they growing their businesses, filling their calendars and keeping more of the revenue from every trip? Those are the numbers that matter to us.”

She added that protecting The Bahamas’ natural resources is equally important to the company’s long-term strategy. As part of its agreement with the BFFIA, a portion of every booking made with affiliated guides through DS Guide will be directed to a local conservation fund supporting the long-term sustainability of Bahamian fisheries.

“This industry exists only because of healthy flats, fisheries and islands,” Ms Faul said. “A healthy environment drives a healthy economy, and a healthy economy funds a healthy environment.”

The company currently has around 40 Bahamian guides and lodges either fully onboarded or in the onboarding process, with additional operators joining each week. “That number grows weekly, and honestly, we care more about how those first 40 do than how fast the number climbs,” Ms Faul said.

She said Digital Sportsman is already working with operators throughout the Family Islands as it expands beyond its initial launch markets. “Our team has been meeting with guides and lodges throughout the Family Islands, and those conversations are turning into onboarding as we speak,” Ms Faul said.

While fly fishing served as the platform’s entry point because of its partnership with the BFFIA, Ms Faul said Digital Sportsman intends to broaden its reach across Bahamian outdoor tourism.

“Digital Sportsman was built for operators who provide experiences in and around the water and the woods, so diving, eco-tours, kayaking, boating, birding, all of it fits naturally on the platform,” she said. “Fly fishing is where we started in The Bahamas because of our partnership with the BFFIA, but the platform isn't limited to it.

“What excites us is what that means for Bahamian operators specifically. The same tools our guides use - booking, payments, business management - work just as well for a dive shop in Nassau or an eco-tour operator on Eleuthera.”

With online travel bookings increasingly targeted by cyber crime, Ms Faul said payment security has been built into the platform through PayPal, with customer payment information handled within the payment processor’s secure infrastructure rather than stored on Digital Sportsman’s own systems.

Looking ahead, Digital Sportsman said its primary investment in The Bahamas will continue to centre on growing local operators’ businesses  “Our biggest investment in the Bahamas is the one we’re already making - helping the guides, lodges and operators on our platform grow and scale their businesses,” Ms Faul said.

She also revealed the company recently unveiled DS.Fish, tournament management software introduced at the ICAST fishing trade show, saying The Bahamas’ strong fishing tournament sector presents another opportunity for future expansion.