By CELESTE NIXON
Tribune Staff Reporter
cnixon@tribunemedia.net
TOP shows could prove to be the top draw for tourists in The Bahamas, according to the country’s Tourism Minister.
Obie Wilchcombe said the country had to ensure it offered the best rooms and price range and provide ‘a certain level of entertainment.’
“One of the things that bothers me here is Nassau is that there is no entertainment really, no shows - so we are working right now on that,” he told The Tribune.
Mr Wilchcombe said the government was pushing the tourism industry throughout the country and had a number of developments in the works.
He said: “Our job now is to create some economic activity, so we are going to concentrate on tourism as a priority, we are working on more airlift and opening new and old hotels in Grand Bahama.”
Airlift to the Bahamas is up eight per cent said Mr Wilchcombe and the government is seeking a further increase from South American countries such as Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil.
“Those markets are strong and because the world has shifted this way we want to take advantage of it, we want to be in place because you know in two years you have the World Cup and then the Olympics in Brazil. We would be foolish not to capitalise on it now,” he said.
Mr Wilchcombe said the entertainment component of the country’s tourism industry must be developed.
He said: “We are a destination of choice we just have to make sure at all times our product is of good quality, that we have the rooms, the price range and that we are providing a certain level of entertainment. One of the things that bothers me here is Nassau is that there is no entertainment really, no shows.
“When we say it is better in the Bahamas people must understand we are not just talking about the sun, sand and sea, we are talking about service. We are talking about our shows and food, everything must be better in the Bahamas.”
Comments
Oracle 11 years, 7 months ago
Agreed
jj 11 years, 7 months ago
Well of course there are no big acts here. There are laws about having to hire Bahamian entertainers. Resorts are not allowed to bring in foreign talent.
Factspeaker 11 years, 7 months ago
There are not enough rooms in Nassau to handle a stadium of visitors to see a show.
Network 11 years, 7 months ago
Resorts definitely are allowed to bring in foreign talent. Atlantis over the years has brought in many high profile entertainers. Our Lucaya brought in foreign entertainment last year. Just this weekend Club Fortuna on GB had foreign entertainment. Why bring in FE when the Bahamas is filled with musicians and entertainers. Instead of paying out big bucks to book those people, accomodations, etc. hire the local and that will give the tourist a taste of the Bahamas. A tourist is not traveling to the Bahamas to hear Sheryl Crow coming to Atlantis in Dec. Give them a taste of the Bahamian culture, entertainment that is indigenous to the country. Junkanoo, Rake n' Scrape, KB, Jay Mitchell, just to name a few.
Flights, well good luck trying to find direct flights to GB from major hubs, NY, NJ, PA, they don't exist, haven't in years and most likely won't. Now the Bahamasair flights have discontinuef their routes due to low season. Wouldn't come as a surprise if they never continue those flights. Most of those flights were only 1/4 filled, can't make a profit with empty planes. The Bazaar, definitely not a place for a tourist wanting to shop, that is if you can find shops open. Our Lucaya, at the moment only one of three resorts open, that doesn't speak well for GB. Drop all the darn taxes at the resorts.
When Baha Mar opens they will give Atlantis a run for their money but competition is good, there should be some great package deals to both resorts. So Nassau/PI will continue to attract the tourist while GB does nothing as a way of an incentive to visit that island.
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