#Nasssau, 9 December, 2019 – Bahamas – The establishment
of Bahamas Customs and Immigration preclearance of flights in Florida is being
tested by the Ministry of Tourism to improve access to Family Island
destinations and diversify tourism centres across The Bahamas, Prime Minister
the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis said today.
The preclearance
system was initially put in place by the Ministry of Finance and Bahamas
Customs to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies to Abaco and Grand Bahama
after Hurricane Dorian.
On seeing the
efficiency of such a system, the Minister of Tourism persuaded two Florida
airports to keep the system in place on a test basis, which was approved by the
Minister of Finance and immediately embraced by those airport operators, said
Prime Minister Minnis.
“Florida has the
largest number of private pilots in the United States and the third largest
number of registered aircraft,” the Prime Minister told members of the Bahamas
Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), which held its Annual General Meeting at
the Atlantis resort on Friday 6 December.
“The Florida
airport operators are now telling us that many private pilots hesitate when
contemplating to fly to a foreign country. But if their approvals can be given
before they take off from Florida, the operators are convinced that the traffic
may substantially increase.”
The Prime Minister
said a major reason for the continuation of the preclearance test was the
recognition that it also opens up many more islands in The Bahamas for nonstop
flights without having to travel first to an official port of entry, clear
Bahamas Customs and Immigration, then travel on to their desired destination.
The opportunity to
facilitate and track air travel direct to one’s desired destination saves
substantial time and costs, said Prime Minister Minnis.
“It is also likely
to result in much more traffic into those Family Island destinations that are
not nearby official designated ports of entry,” said the Prime Minister.
“If this test is
successful, this is likely to be an important plank in our plans to diversify
the tourism centres across The Bahamas.”
The Ministry of
Tourism is also being approached to put the same kind of preclearance facility
in place for seagoing vessels, said Prime Minister Minnis.
In his address to
the BHTA, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to commend the Ministry of
Tourism for immediately launching a new marketing campaign to let the world
know that not all of the islands of The Bahamas were impacted by Hurricane
Dorian.
The Prime Minister
also noted the Ministry’s presentation at the World Routes Conference in
September, which included aspects of the new marketing campaign and channeling
the market message of “14 Islands Still Open for Business.”
“I am told that
after the Ministry’s presentation of its marketing plan aviation
representatives were so confident and optimistic about our destinations that
some airlines have even added additional service, including United Airlines
with a direct flight from Denver, Colorado to Nassau,” said Prime Minister
Minnis.
Additionally, British
Airways will be adding one additional frequency per week for its Summer
schedule, going from four flights per week to five flights per week, effective
end of March 2020.
In the very near
term, the Ministry of Tourism plans to unveil Phase Three of its post-Dorian
campaign under the theme “Still Rockin”.
“The campaign highlights the resiliency of Bahamians by utilizing Bahamians to show the world that we are rebounding,” said the Prime Minister.
Release: Office of the Prime Minister
Photo Caption: Prime Minister Minnis delivered the keynote address at the Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) Annual General Meeting, December 6, 2019 at Atlantis. The Prime Minister is pictured addressing the forum; and also perusing the Bahamian crafts on exhibit, and being interviewed by the press.
(BIS Photos/Yontalay Bowe)