The Tribune

The Bahamas has ramped up its tourism marketing efforts in Florida through a partnership with Brightline, the high-speed rail system that connects major cities in the Miami area.

David Helfman, vice-president of corporate partnerships for a company that plans to expand its tracks to Tampa and Orlando, said it was saturating stations with images from The Bahamas.

“We’re so thrilled that they have chosen us to help promote the islands, and to use us as a unique venue to attract new consumers,” he said. “We want to elevate their experience here, and bring some fun and some flair to our stations, and really expose Bahamas tourism – the culture, the food and the atmosphere - to our premium guests.”

Brightline will host various events with the Ministry of Tourism to promote the destination, and will hold a sweepstakes for a vacation to The Bahamas.

“It’s such a close, easy destination, and it has everything our guests are looking for, which is relaxation, great amenities, a unique culture that they can experience,” Mr Helfman said. “It’s all about the food, the art and the music.”

Betty Bethel-Moss, the Ministry of Tourism’s director of sales and marketing, said: “What is most important for us in marketing the islands of The Bahamas is visibility. We were looking for opportunities where we could have top-of-mind visuals throughout Florida.

“Entering this partnership with Brightline has allowed that because it has allowed us to have this digital takeover on the trains and the stations in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and in Miami.”

Scores of industry partners attended the partnership’s unveiling, with several saying they planned take full advantage of the tie-up. “One of the main things I love about the partnership with the Ministry of Tourism is that we get to explore markets that we wouldn’t normally do in our budget,” said Peter Rose of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. “They also bring great events that allow us to reach people.”

“Brightline is a great company to do a partnership with to promote The Bahamas,” said Veronica Bolanos, director of FRS Caribbean. “Bimini is one of the destinations that we need to push, and we at FRS Caribbean are happy that this is being pushed because that will bring business to us.”