The Tribune

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) teamed up with a call centre operator to promote the island's attractions for that sector at a recent conference.

The GBPA paired with itelBPO Solutions (Island Outsourcers) for the ICMI Contact Centre Expo, recently held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The event marked the second year in which itelBPO and GBPA have collaborated to promote Grand Bahama as a destination for business process outsourcing (BPO) operations within the Caribbean.

"The ICMI Tradeshow is a boutique call centre industry event, which hosts elite customer care executives and CEOs, gathering annually for collaborative exchange on transformational solutions to enhance the customer service experience," said Derek Newbold, the GBPA's senior manager of business development and Invest Grand Bahama.

"Since establishing GB's first official contact centre three years ago, GBPA has strategically marketed the island's value proposition for nearshore operations by virtue of our exceptional infrastructure, proximity and cultural affinity to the US market. We have been deliberate in our approach to promoting Freeport as the 'Free Trade zone of the Bahamas' and, more specifically, the opportunities it offers for companies within the ICT industry."

The three-day Contact Centre event in Orlando catered to hundreds of executives, vice-presidents and directors representing various industries, including telecommunications, technology, retail and manufacturing, health, and banking and finance.

Sebastian Tickle, vice-president of business development at ItelBPO Solutions, said: "The region's contact centre industry is roughly 20 years old, generating in excess of $1 billion dollars annually. More importantly, the industry continues to expand tremendously in numerous international markets.

"In April of this year, we expanded our operational capacity at Itel BPO Solutions, with new offices at the Sir Albert Miller Building, and can now accommodate even greater business volumes."

Ian Rolle, the GBPA's president, said: "GBPA will continue to embrace the Information and Communication Technology sector as a high growth industry for Grand Bahama. We have the infrastructure…we have the location and, by way of our partnership with itelBPO and high schools across Grand Bahama, we are investing in the ongoing development of human capital to create a self-replenishing skills pool to sustain this new industry."