Bahamas News
Romora Bay Resort & Marina: Best Season in Resort’s Nearly 50-Year History, Caps Off Best Year for Marina
Bahamas, May 19, 2017 – Harbour Island – Romora Bay Resort & Marina, a Harbour Island landmark since 1968, reported the strongest season in its nearly 50-year history with all revenue streams – marina, rooms and restaurant – at peak occupancy and spend records in April.
“We could not be more pleased with the reception we have been getting, particularly among the captains and owners of increasingly larger vessels at the marina. What gives us the greatest satisfaction is that we are operating at our very best with all-Bahamian management and staff sharing that special touch of Bahamian hospitality,” said Joe Dargavage, Operations Manager, the sole non-Bahamian. Dargavage, who has a 25-year history in The Bahamas and has served as president of the Association of Bahamas Marinas, credits much of the success of Romora Bay’s growing share of the popular Harbour Island visitor market to the desirability of The Bahamas.
“These are turbulent times in many parts of the world and The Bahamas is seen as a secure and highly desirable place to be. A lot of the traffic, and particularly mega-yachts, which used to go elsewhere for part of the year are spending more time in the Caribbean and The Bahamas,” Dargavage said.
He also credits what he calls the ‘Romora hospitality factor’ for attracting repeat visitors and marina guests.
“There are larger marinas in The Bahamas and even in Harbour Island, but we get an extraordinary number of repeat visitors who tell us when they are here, they feel like family,” he said. “It’s friendly, the staff are friendly, the Sunsets Bar & Grille which is the only place in Harbour Island that has live music three nights a week, is friendly. And then there are the amenities that marina guests as well as those in our little resort on a lot of land get to use -– infinity edge pool, crew lounges, new gym, newly renovated and furnished guest suites. Fishermen bring in their fresh catch daily and if a boat comes back with a large catch and wants the chef to cook it up, we’ll prepare and share. Success is not built on the best bedspread or art on the wall. It’s in the art of hospitality.” Among the Bahamians serving in key roles are Assistant General Manager Marc Tonis, Front End Manager Altonette Ferguson, Guest Relations Manager Laurieann Albury and Marina Manager Lorria Whitfield.
Even as Romora with its 14 guest suites and 40-slip marina enjoys its time in the sun, Dargavage said the trend toward more boats creating greater benefits for The Bahamas overall is significant.
“The boating and yachting industry throughout The Bahamas has enjoyed a steady incline since 2013,” said Dargavage, who serves as vice president of the Association of Bahamas Marinas. “Every year, we see more and larger vessels coming from Europe that only a few years ago did not spend time in The Bahamas. We project that this trend will continue over the next five years. Key industry factors like fuel prices, a bright outlook for the U.S. and local financial sectors and most importantly safety and security, all help to drive yachts to our beautiful turquoise waters and we do not see anything that would alter those basic factors in any dramatic way in the next several years so the outlook is encouraging and bright for businesses related to the yachting industry in The Bahamas.”
Romora Bay Resort & Marina has also enjoyed growth as a venue for photo shoots. Victoria’s Secret, Cover Girl, La Perla, Elle, Marie-Claire, Sony, J. Jill, Gilette, LLBean, Photo Magazine and Ocean Drive are among the many companies or products who have shot print or video at the waterfront resort.
#RemoraBayResort&Marina
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.
The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap
from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.
With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.
Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.
Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.
Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!
After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.
The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before
their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.
At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.
Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.
Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.
The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.
Bahamas News
The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed
their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.
As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.
Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole,
with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’. Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.
Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.
Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the
listening booth.
Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.
For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification
attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.
Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.
The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members. Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.
Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine. To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.
On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking
in the comfort of the chic lounge. In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.
The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.
Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.
To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.
