Bahamas News
Port Licensees Weigh-In on Recent SeaTrade Cruise Global Event
Tuesday, 17th April, 2023 – Freeport, Bahamas – The recent SeaTrade Cruise Global (STCG) conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was a major success for The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and its delegation of 20 Licensees attending the event. The 4-day conference and expo is renowned as the cruise industry’s premier annual event, a global gathering and networking point for cruise line executives, travel professionals, investors,
vendors, and suppliers across all facets of the cruise and maritime industry.
GBPA’s delegation of Licensees, which represented Freeport’s Tourism, Industry, Logistics, and Maritime sectors, not only showcased their businesses but also highlighted the ease of doing business and the benefits of investing in Freeport, during the event from March 27th – 30th at the Broward County Convention Center.
Amongst the participants traveling from Grand Bahama were executives from the Freeport Harbour and Freeport Container Port, Pirates Cove Zipline & Waterpark, Elnet Maritime Services, H. Forbes Private Charters & Tours, Bahamas Distillery Co., Ltd., Pelican Bay Hotel, and Leslie’s Trade and Logistics Services.
GBPA Vice Chairman, Sarah St. George, spoke about the positive response to the delegation’s efforts, stating, “We are thrilled with the success of our participation at the 2023 STCG event. It allowed us to showcase the many investment opportunities existing in Freeport and to highlight the significant progress we’ve made in recent years in terms of business expansion, infrastructure development, and our focus on creating a more sustainable tourism economy for the future,” St. George expressed. “It was great to have our Licensees with us, showcasing the potential of Freeport as a premier investment destination, and we are confident that it will lead to new partnerships and opportunities for our Licensees,” she added.
Licensees shared their positive experiences at the event, with representatives from Elnet Maritime Services noting that they had made new contacts and laid the groundwork for future business deals. “Elnet Maritime attends Seatrade Cruise Global annually, and this year we were excited to partner with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Invest Grand Bahama,” said Ellie Hepburn, President and CEO of Elnet Maritime.
“It was a successful event for Elnet as we signed an exclusive cruise agreement with the world’s largest cruise port agency network, Inchcape Shipping Services, and we had the opportunity to network with cruise executives through our platinum partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. The Bahamas took center stage at the event, and we look forward to partnering with the GBPA again in 2024.”
Hadley Forbes Sr., President of H. Forbes Private Charters & Tours, said they were impressed with the level of interest and enthusiasm expressed by attendees visiting the Invest Grand Bahama Booth. “Our sincere thanks go out to the Grand Bahama Port Authority for inviting H. Forbes Charter Services to exhibit at SeaTrade Global. Mrs. Dames and her team did an outstanding job organizing the event, and the networking opportunities were exceptional. Thank you again for the opportunity to partner with you and for a wonderful experience.”
Pirates Cove Zipline & Waterpark also had a successful experience at the event, with David Wallace, their President and General Manager, noting, “There was a lot of interest in our adventure tourism offerings, and we are excited about the potential for growth in this sector. The Grand Bahama Port Authority has given us an opportunity through SeaTrade to meet the world and the major players within the maritime and Cruise Industry….. let’s do it together,” Wallace commented.
President Ian Rolle of GBPA said, “The success of this event is a testament to the potential of Freeport as a destination for investment and business growth. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our city and the many talented entrepreneurs who call it home.” GBPA and its Licensees are looking forward to building on the momentum generated at the event and continuing to promote the potential of Freeport as a destination for investment and growth.
Partners have already begun discussions around the 2024 event, slated for April 8th-11th, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “For 2024, we plan to have an entire pavilion with even more Licensees participating and doing so in tandem with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism,” stated Derek Newbold, Chief Investment Officer at GBPA. Following a post-mortem of the event, we’ve come away with some excellent ideas to ensure an even more extraordinary showcasing of Grand Bahama for next year,” Newbold added.
Press Release: GB Port Authority
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.
