The Tribune

A LOCAL company is expanding its brand to offer innovations in water sports and water parks.

Aquamarine Water Sport Activities Ltd received high marks from tourism, port, hotel, and industry representatives who attended the company’s launch of its expansion into products and services, geared towards providing a water park experience to visitors.

Aquamarine Water Sport Activities serves the Melia Nassau Beach and Wyndham Resorts with water sport services, offering 16 water sports products, and intending to introduce seven more with the launch of their Aquamarine Enterprises Ltd brand.

President of the Bahamas Hotel Association and Bahamas Tourism Board Stuart Bowe said the board is excited about what the company is doing to broaden the tourism base. He said that in 2007, Atlantis introduced its water park and changed the industry, and Aquamarine is now building on that.

“Hotels were a place to eat and live, and there was a pool outside,” he said. “Now we are getting more into entertainment, and it’s good for everyone. Now you don’t just need persons working on the pool. You need chemists, health and safety people, sales, people liaising with the Ministry of Tourism – this is entertainment.

“You have a great responsibility in what you have decided to embark upon. I challenge you to keep training your people as this will encourage guests to come back.”

He urged the company to “never compromise safety – just never compromise safety”.

“I have lived this – all you need is one incident – so never compromise safety.”

The company must stay current, he added, noting that Baha Mar will launch in a matter of months, while “there are things going on” in San Salvador and Bimini.

“You are on stage right now, everyone is watching you; you are doing something that is trailblazing,” he said.

He said eight per cent of the jobs on the planet are in tourism, and 60 cents out of every dollar in the Bahamas comes from tourism.

Ministry of Tourism representative Ellison Tommy Thompson attended the launch, congratulating company president Jeremy Gibbs, operations manager Sonovia Williams and George Knowles, director of risk and finance, saying it is important to share the wealth of tourism around the country.

“We have Bahamian companies standing up and making sure we are owners in tourism – that’s the only way we are going to do it,” he said.

He noted that Tourism and the Port Department have had issues in the past with water sports operators, “so to have a company that is intent to make sure the product is going to be top quality, that the company will keep rigorous safety standards, and make sure training is top-notch all the time, goes a long way in ensuring the Bahamas is a top-notch destination”.

Aquamarine Enterprises, he said, should consider taking their brand throughout the family islands: “This is how we inspire young people to understand diversification in tourism is the way to go.”

It is better for foreign investors to see Bahamians offering the services through their own companies, Mr Thompson pointed out, as “we have no place to go, so we will do what we have to do to make sure the tourism industry is viable for years to come”.

Deputy port controller Colliemae Ferguson congratulated the company for working through the frustrations and following all necessary procedures to reach this point in their development.

Bishop Neil C Ellis blessed the launch.

Mr Gibbs said their aim is to provide a “wow experience” for visitors.

Mr Knowles said the launch only gives a glimpse of the innovative products that the company intends to bring in the coming months.

Ms Williams said “there is no limit to what staff will endeavour to do to have complete customer satisfaction”.

“We are built on safety and risk mitigation. In the Aqua brand, safety is one of the foundations we are built on.”

Staff are trained twice a year, and this year, the company is collaborating with Bahama Host, Toastmasters, and will be training each staff member in foreign languages.