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Bahamasair Adds Houston to its Schedule

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#UnitedStates, November 21, 2017 – Houston, Texas – Top notch hospitality in mid-air was just one of many things meted out by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Bahamasair during the National Flag Carrier’s Houston, Texas, USA, recent inaugural flight.

On Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Bahamasair Board Members, employees, members of the media and several visitors to The Bahamas were the first passengers to experience the inaugural Bahamasair flight from Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) in Nassau to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Junkanoo -23758460_10155320755839480_633827320_nOn board the Classic Boeing 737-500 aircraft, the passengers were thoroughly entertained by flight attendants and media personality Paul Fernander, who dished out wonderful prizes for answering trivia questions about The Bahamas.

Upon approach at Houston, Captain Lawrence Jupp and First Officer Michael Pinder skillfully landed the aircraft on the runway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport – an art for which Bahamians pride themselves on having the best pilots.  A thunderous applause was the reward for such smooth entry into Houston.

The Ministry of Tourism held a Welcome Reception in the Ballroom of the Houston IAH Airport Hotel.

Bahamasair executives attended: Tommy Turnquest, Chairman; Tracy Cooper, Managing Director; Frederick Donathan, Sales Director; and Woodrow Wilson, Senior Manager.   Also welcoming the flight were: Lynden Rose, Bahamas Counsul General to Houston; Prescott Young, Bahamas Tourism Office Area Manager, Houston; and other officials.

Video presentations about The Islands of The Bahamas were shown and guest entertainer Rik Carey, lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning group, Baha Men performed a few of his hit songs.

A group of students from Prairie View A &M University Marching Storm and Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul marching bands performed a combined electrifying and pulsating, uniquely Bahamian, Junkanoo rushout.

“This is truly an exciting time for Bahamasair, and I deem it an honour to serve in my role at this time,” said Chairman Tommy Turnquest during the Welcome Reception.   “As we launch this route, we trust that the traveling public will consider Bahamasair as their first choice when traveling to and from The Bahamas.

“We are satisfied that we are ready to meet the challenge to grow this route exponentially.”

Ribbon cutting - 23804325_10155320775624480_389896991_nOn the Thursday morning, a formal Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Gate D, where the Bahamasair aircraft will be docked.   The flight departed at 8:00 a.m. to a water salute from the airport fire trucks as it departed Houston.

The return flight was a full aircraft of about 120 passengers – a number of tourists were visiting and were thrilled that they could fly directly from Houston to Nassau in a short jaunt.

The flight arrived at LPIA to a water salute from the airport fire trucks as it taxied in.   The aircraft had an Official Welcome by Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, officials from the Ministry and other government agencies, Bahamasair, and LPIA.  A Junkanoo group with their island rhythms met the passengers.

Mr. D’Aguilar, Minister with responsibility for Bahamasair, deemed it another step in the joint walk together and that the “best days” are ahead for Bahamasair.

Bahamasair came into being in 1973 with the purpose to connect the archipelago through safe and reliable air transportation.   The airline boasts 14 domestic destinations, 9 international designations, including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Providenciales in Turks & Caicos Islands, Port-Au-Prince and Cap Haitien in Haiti, and now Houston, Texas.

With Bahamian immigration statistics showing Texas as a growing market for stopover visitors, Bahamasair stepped in to facilitate expansion of the Houston market.

The flight leaves Houston at 8:00 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays arriving in Nassau just after 11:00 a.m.  It leaves Nassau on Sundays and Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. – allowing for a half-day on the beach or to enjoy Bahamian hospitality before boarding flight — and arrives in Houston just after 7:00 p.m.

By: Lindsay Thompson (BIS)

Photo Captions:

(Junkanoo)

Students from Prairie View A &M University Marching Storm and Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul marching bands performed a combined electrifying and pulsating Junkanoo rushout, during the Ministry of Tourism Welcome Reception in the Ballroom of the Houston IAH Airport Hote commemorating Bahamasair’s Inaugural Flight into Houston Texas, USA, on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.  (BIS Photo/Lindsay Thompson)

 

(Ribbon Cutting)

Chairman of Bahamasair Tommy Turnquest, centre, participates in a formal Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Gate D where the Bahamasair aircraft will be docked. The ceremony commemorated Bahamasair’s Inaugural Flight into Houston Texas, USA on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.   (BIS Photo/Lindsay Thompson)

 

 

(Arrival at LPIA)

The first visitors on Bahamasair’s Inaugural flight from Houston to Nassau were greeted at Lynden Pindling International Airport by (l-r) Minister of Tourism & Aviation the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, Parliamentary Secretary Travis Robinson, Director General of Tourism Joy Jibrilu, and Ministry of Tourism & Aviation’s Senior Director of Airlift Development Tyrone Sawyer, as well as other officials of government, Bahamasair, and LPIA.  (BIS Photo/Kemuel Stubbs)

 

 

 

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Monument Beverage Co. Caribbean Wines & Spirits Uniquely Bahamian Newest Product

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NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.

Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.

This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.

The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.

The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.

Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.

“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.

“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”

The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.

Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.

Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice.  Monument is made to celebrate, visit  www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.

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Lady Kayla Crowned Goombay Punch Cup Sailing Champion of 2025/2026

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L–R: Joss Knowles, Kianno Hutchinson, Jazmin Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager at Caribbean Bottling Company and Dallas Knowles receiving a donation on behalf of the Exuma Sailing Club at the Long Island Regatta awards ceremony.

NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.

CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.

The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.

Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.

“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.

Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.

“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.

“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.

Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.

“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top.  In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla.  Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.

The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.

For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.

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Caribbean Bottling Supports the 27th Basketball Smiles Week  

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NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to once again support Basketball Smiles for their 27th year.

Upholding its corporate pillar of community outreach, CBC proudly donated $2,000, over 75 cases of Dasani, Powerade and Sprite, reusable Powerade water bottles and numerous marketing materials.

The annual sporting summer camp offers free basketball and life skills training to Junior and High School students.

Basketball Smiles’ mission of developing leadership qualities while fostering children’s academic achievement and self-esteem aligns perfectly with CBC’s commitment to supporting and empowering youth.

Jazmin Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager for Caribbean Bottling Company shared why the company continues to support this program each year.

“At CBC, we believe investing in our youth is one of the greatest ways to strengthen our communities. We’re proud to support Basketball Smiles each year because it goes beyond the game. This program champions healthy lifestyles, positive values and brighter futures. It’s a privilege to play a role in helping these young athletes reach their full potential each year,” she shared.

Sam Nicholls, Basketball Smiles Camp President and Founder expressed.

“Caribbean Bottling Company is an incredible partner. We are truly grateful for their generous support, which will go a long way in making a positive impact on the lives of our campers,” Nicholls expressed.

CBC is always ready to lend its support toward initiatives and programs that uplift young Bahamians. The impact Basketball Smiles makes on the community is undeniable and is why CBC remains a historic sponsor.

For more information on sponsorship, events and new products, visit www.cbcbahamas.com today.

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