By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Tourism is eyeing late October as the return of its global marketing strategies, hoping by then the country is ready to reopen, Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Travis Robinson said yesterday.
“We are looking at around late October for phase one (of the reopening) and the early part of November, if everything pans out, for the final phase as we go back out and infiltrate the market with the tourism brand of The Bahamas,” he said.
He said about $13 million in ads were put on hold when Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis implemented restrictions last month to again slow the spread of COVID-19. “Since the country readjusted by going back to a lockdown, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation halted all our marketing overseas to understand what’s happening globally and locally,” he said. “There was a need to ensure the message we were selling about The Bahamas being open for business is unified across all our marketing areas. We have some nine different offices all around the world so there is a need to ensure we are sending unified messages in terms of what people can expect with respect to the restrictions and protocols put in place by the competent authority.
“The situation has been fluid in the country. At one particular time there was the COVID-19 negative test that was required, then there was the 14-day quarantine requirement and then adjustments were made again so hotel properties have been deemed quarantine sites. To ensure we are not back and forth to the global community about our message that The Bahamas is open for business, we are holding our ads. We have been meeting on a regular basis discussing the new marketing campaign that will involve every island of The Bahamas in our new market going forward.”
Mr Robinson said when the country is ready for business again, tourism officials want visitors to get their travel visas quicker than they did when the country last reopened.
“We’ve been meeting with a local company to adjust the process for accepting COVID-19 negative tests from guests,” he said. “One challenge we experienced when guests submitted their tests was the turn around time to issue them their travel visas. “You can have anywhere up to 2,000 to 3,000 visitors coming to The Bahamas each day, even more. The demand to have those negative tests processed manually by individuals at the command centre became strenuous so we are at the table negotiating with a local company about participating in that work. We are looking at the possibility of an automated system and artificial intelligence so when we do reopen, tourists who submit their test can receive their travel visa within ten to 15 minutes. We will ensure we prevent false tests from being approved.”
Mr Robinson also said those who want to give input or suggestions can email him at trobinson@bahamas.com.
Comments
thps 3 years, 8 months ago
Best of luck but please do not be so optimistic. We've watched a similar movie before.
bahamianson 3 years, 8 months ago
Tourism chief doesn't have a clue. A True Chief would have had a solution now in these trying times. His only solution is the nasty racist white American will come to our shores in October? A twelve grader could have told us such intuitive information. Get real. I welcome Americans and all other tourist. Ignorant bahamians are always degrading our tourist friends but when we need their money, we want them to come. The minute we are on our feet, it is back to calling them racist, foreigner, white people etc.
trueBahamian 3 years, 8 months ago
October is in the middle of the slow season. We're dependent on tourist mostly from the US. Tourism can not go anywhere unless the US economy picks up and travellers" confidence is there.
If I say the world is square, does it make it so? Before making plans and spending taxpayer money, let us be sure where things stand first people.
Amused 3 years, 8 months ago
So if October is phase one, we pretty much have nothing else between now and when October comes? SMH
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 8 months ago
Why would anyone think tourism will rebound in the middle of a global pandemic? That's nothing more than wishful, magical thinking. We need a plan to sustain ourselves with a much lower level of tourism for at least a year, maybe longer. Like seriously low levels... Please get real....
thps 3 years, 8 months ago
They went to John Pinder's school of projecting employment scenarios.
trueBahamian 3 years, 8 months ago
The young guy us inexperienced. So, he probably doesn't know any better. But, the senior guys should teach him. As long as it's not D'Aguilar. I'm still cringing from that CNN interview he did. I had no idea how intellectually challenged D'Aguilar was until I saw that interview. I was embarrassed to be a Bahamian.
TalRussell 3 years, 8 months ago
Mr.Theodore Minnis's flip switch rehabilitation of Travis, couldn't happen other than push minister Dioniso James buttons. Nod Once for Yeah, Twice for No?
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