The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

THE Ministry of Tourism is looking to cash in on religious markets in the United States hoping that it will help fulfil their mandate to “get heads in beds”, officials said yesterday.

Director of Religious Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism, Dwight Armbrister yesterday detailed how the religious department within the ministry planned to help accomplish that mandate by using religious networks like Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Impact Network, 3ABN and Dare to Dream Network to spread the message that it is better in the Bahamas.

“For the past ten days, the Bahamas was at the centre of the discussion on the Impact Network whose viewing audience is some 30 plus million,” Mr Armbrister said at a press conference.

He added: “Two nights ago, TBN did their Praise the Lord programme on the island of Grand Bahama for two hours highlighting the beauty, culture and the different sights of the island. When you talk about the viewership numbers, you are looking at hundreds of millions around the world.”

Mr Armbrister indicated that the Ministry of Tourism hopes that these initiatives will be successful in helping the country’s tourism product.

“Altogether these initiatives will do well for our country in creating the many impressions for millions to see and so they are now in a good position to make the Bahamas their choice destination or the place for their next event.”

The religious branch of the Ministry of Tourism has been in contact with a number of groups in America with the hope of bringing their events to the Bahamas. Mr Armbrister mentioned that groups like the National Baptist Convention USA, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1000 Churches Connected, The Rainbow Push Coalition with Rev Jesse Jackson and the Seventh-Day Adventist Conference have all been contacted to bring events to the Bahamas.

He also revealed that the Ministry of Tourism is in talks with the Stellar Awards Company to use the Bahamas as the place for their events. The Stellar Awards is the premier annual gospel event produced by Central City Productions Inc based in Chicago.

“Going forward these initiatives will continue to boost our numbers which are already trending upwards and will undoubtedly put the country in good stead,” Mr Armbrister said.