Cruise port targeting 4.5m arrivals in 2024
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday predicted that the facility will receive around 4.5m passengers in 2024, representing around a 12.5 percent increase on arrivals projected for the upcoming year.
IAN FERGUSON: Exploit public relations to drive customer traffic
Clarity is critical in all kinds of business communications, yet can be difficult to achieve. Unlike paid marketing programmes such as advertising, public relations is focused on earned media and can take advantage of unpaid communications channels. Public relations is about managing perceptions, namely how people think about your business.
Bahamas eyes travel ease for Saudi and Middle East
THE deputy prime minister has suggested that visa waivers and electronic visas will be some of the tools employed to boost travel to The Bahamas from Saudi Arabia and other Middle East states.
Aviation optimistic over ‘booked solid’ Christmas
BAHAMIAN aviation operators yesterday said they were optimistic a “booked solid” Christmas period will escape the flight delays and clogged airport ramp that impacted last year’s festive period.
Grand Lucayan: Focus on buyer not maximum price
THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday argued that the Government should drop its obsession with maximising the Grand Lucayan’s sales price and instead focus on finding the right buyer.
Brokers fret as Customs revenue $15m up on ‘19
Brokers yesterday warned the cost of clearing goods into The Bahamas will likely increase in the New Year as Customs revealed its revenue collections year-to-date have increased by $15m compared to pre-COVID levels.
‘Slap in the face’ on Dorian’s tax breaks
The Government was yesterday accused of delivering “a slap in the face” to Abaco and Grand Bahama by confirming that both islands’ present Dorian-related tax breaks expire today as scheduled.
Liquidators to go after FTX Bahamas payouts
The joint provisional liquidators for FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary are “guaranteed” to go after any payouts to local investors if they violated the Supreme Court freeze imposed as the crypto exchange imploded, it was revealed yesterday.
CIBC’s New Year halt to in-branch payments
CIBC FirstCaribbean last night justified its decision to halt physical in-branch transactions from January 3 - a move that will impact thousands of Bahamians - by asserting that 85 percent of clients are already using digital banking channels.
‘Praying Santa can deliver’ end to Village Road works
Businesses at Village Road’s northern end yesterday said they are “hoping and praying Santa can deliver” an end to their frustration by New Year with ongoing roadworks having caused sales to plunge by 30-40 percent.
FTX’s Bahamas properties caught in Chapter 11’s net
FTX’s Bahamian real estate purchases - which could be worth a collective $300m - were made through a company currently covered by US Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings rather than the Bahamian provisional liquidators.
Xmas ‘financial cushion’ vital for Bahamian retail
The “make or break” Christmas shopping season will this year be vital for Bahamian merchants to “build a financial cushion” against forecast economic headwinds in 2023, a well-known retailer warned yesterday.
BOB triples value of loan recoveries
Bank of The Bahamas more than tripled the value of recovered loan collateral to $3.5m during its 2022 financial year as a result of intensified focus on reclaiming distressed assets.
DORIAN BREAKS ‘CANNOT GO ON’: Aid for hurricane-hit areas costing treasury purse ‘$50m a year’
The Ministry of Finance’s top official last night warned that Dorian-related tax breaks “cannot go on indefinitely” in their present form as they are costing the Public Treasury “probably $40m-$50m per annum or higher”.
Ministers praises promoted officers
A CABINET minster praised the Customs Department’s “hard work and dedication” in increasing government revenues and protecting Bahamian borders during a promotion ceremony for 62 officers.


