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BAHAMAS: PM Minnis challenges the region to broaden its tourism brand

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#Nassau, October 4, 2018 – Bahamas – Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis called on the region to broaden its Caribbean brand in tourism and recreate a new direction forward.  He was delivering the keynote address at the State of Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2018 on Tuesday evening in the Grand Ballroom of Atlantis, Paradise Island. 

The week-long conference explores possibilities and opportunities under the theme: “Rejuvenate. Recreate. Reconnect. New Directions for Caribbean Tourism.

“Our region must be known for extraordinary visitor experiences and services. We must also be known as a global centre of excellence for all aspects of tourism development,” the Prime Minister said.  He noted that in so many ways, the potential of the region is untapped.

“We are meeting here today in the name of one of the world’s most powerful brands: the Caribbean — which some have called the “Paradise of the Atlantic,” the Prime Minister said.

He added, that no matter where you are in the world and no matter which language you speak and however you pronounce the word ‘Caribbean,’ it conjures delight and awe.

“Our brilliant constellation of people, food, drink, music, multiple international and indigenous languages, culture and natural delights in such a relatively small region is unmatched,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, the world is increasingly recognizing the breadth of history and culture of what the late Caribbean Nobel Prize Laureate Derek Walcott described as “the fragments of epic memory,” which constitute the Caribbean experience.  In this vein, he said he was especially pleased that a compelling feature of the visitor experience at Baha Mar and Atlantis is Bahamian culture, inclusive of the visual, musical and culinary arts of The Bahamas.

He described the Caribbean as an archipelago of discovery and wonder, bound together by geography, history and culture.

“We are an archipelago of possibility.  We are an archipelago of opportunity.  We are an archipelago of resilience.  We resonate with the rhythms of Calypso, Reggae, Soca, Junkanoo, Punta Rock, Reggaeton and other genres, which are all part of the pulsating heartbeat of a Caribbean Civilization that is unique among the civilizations of the world.  It is this very Caribbean Civilization that we proudly offer to the world as we strive to become a global leader in tourism on multiple fronts. We must broaden our Caribbean brand in tourism,” the Prime Minister said.

One of the core objectives must be to help to create greater economic benefits from tourism for micro- small- and medium-sized businesses, he said.

“This means greater diversification across various tourism platforms as well as greater linkages with other economic sectors,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that the region is still working to develop and upgrade the museums and heritage sites that depict the traditions and culture of our people, as well as showcase, in a sustainable manner, the wonders of marine life that highlight the earth’s biodiversity.

“The training and education of a new generation of entrepreneurs is vital in helping our citizens and economies to garner greater economic benefits from tourism,” he said.

The Prime Minister thanked Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar for his guidance of CTO matters over the past year and a half.  And, he thanked Director General Joy Jibrilu, for her steady hand and guidance over the past several years.

 

By Lindsay Thompson

Release: BIS

Photo Captions: 

Header: Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis gives the keynote address at the official opening of the State of Tourism Industry Conference, October 2, 2018 at Atlantis, Paradise Island.

Insert: Audience.

(BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)

 

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Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.

 

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Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos 

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RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

 

 

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Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew. 

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.” 

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.” 

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations. 

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash. 

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described. 

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating. 

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

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