The Tribune

A regional media publication teamed with the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation to host the first-ever Bahamas Travel Awards Ceremony in recognition of the industry’s top performers.

The event, organised by the Caribbean Journal, honoured persons and businesses throughout The Bahamas whose services and products have boosted the nation’s standing as a leading tourism destination.

The awards, which were held at the Baha Mar resort, gave accolades to winners in the following categories:

Destination of the year: Nassau, Paradise Island

Best restaurant: Mahogany House, Nassau

Best luxury resort: Rosewood Baha Mar

Best boutique hotel: The Island House, Nassau

Best all-inclusive resort: Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas

Best cruise line of the year: Royal Caribbean

Best fishing lodge: Bimini Big Game Club, Bimini

Best people-to-people host/hostess: Beverly Wallace-Whitfield, Nassau

Best experience: Graycliff Heritage Village, Nassau

Best beach bar: Sip Sip, Harbour Island

Best airline: Bahamasair

Best marina: Staniel Cay, Exuma

Best bartender: Marv Cunningham, Atlantis Paradise Island

Best chef: Kevyn Pratt

Best taxi driver: Cheryl Fox-Ferguson, Nassau

Joy Jibrilu, the Ministry of Tourism’s director-general, said: “We’re very excited by the response to the first Bahamas Travel Awards. But what we’re really proud of is that, unlike many awards programmes, [it] also celebrates the most important component of any tourism destination: The people who make it work every day, from taxi drivers to people-to-people hosts and hostesses.

“The ultimate goal of all those of us who work in the tourism and hospitality sector in The Bahamas is customer satisfaction.” The Bahamas welcomed a record-breaking 7.2m visitors to its shores in 2019 notwithstanding Hurricane Dorian’s impact.