EDITOR, The Tribune
A summer of new foreign direct investment and local investments since July 2017 shows this has been dominated by the cruise industry, a sector which gives very little return as average cruise passenger spend in $70.
We see millions invested in Coco Cay by Royal Caribbean, millions ongoing by MSC on old Ocean Cay, millions promised by Disney in Eleuthera and Carnival in Freeport. But, Editor, where is the beef for The Bahamas.
Oy yes, the PM and Minister of Tourism will exclaim ‘we have seven million visitors’ but the meat is only in 1.6 million stay overs.
The Prime Minister and his cabinet hopefully realise the immediate potential for creating employment of a significant level is in tourism but I don’t think it is in the cruise sector.
Service accommodations is an area Bahamians can get involved with and they should be encouraged. Established cooperatives should be investing here.
T Higgins
Nassau
October 30, 2019
Comments
Porcupine 4 years, 5 months ago
Agreed. However, the big payouts for the ministers do not come from small Bahamians. They come from the big projects that have a few million set aside to "get things done" in The Bahamas.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 5 months ago
Ahah! This is what I've begun to suspect. I've seen a pattern where local businesses that can do work for 100,000 or less are overlooked for foreign firms who submit bids going into the millions...it's baffling...but if millions come in alot of people can get a pay day...can't cut much off from a 100,000 contract
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 5 months ago
When Hutchison abandoned the Grand Lucayan we were left with only cruise passengers, my sales went from 800 a day to zero.....
Cruise passengers don't spend, simple as that.
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