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BAHAMAS: New and revitalized product, along with new and expanded airlift from major U.S. Carriers driving tourism growth

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#Nassau, November 27, 2018 – Bahamas – New and revitalized product and new and expanded airlift from major United States carriers such as Delta and American Airlines are helping to drive tourism growth in The Bahamas, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar said at his recent Year-End Report to members of the media.

Minister D’Aguilar also announced that Air Bookings for the next three months (November, 2018 to January, 2019), are ahead by 9.2 per cent with international markets showing an advance in bookings. Scheduled direct flights are set to increase 15.1 per cent during the same timeframe.

Forward bookings are also ahead for November-January (7 per cent) with “the top source cities with the most favourable booking situation being Detroit (42.7 per cent), New York City (38.6 per cent), and Atlanta (22.2 per cent),” Mr. D’Aguilar added.

Mr. D’Aguilar said while 2017 was “certainly a challenging year” with back-to-back hurricanes that hurt the Caribbean, 2018 has been a banner year for tourism in The Bahamas.

“[The year] 2018 has been a very good year for the Islands of The Bahamas for arrivals from all over the world,” Mr. D’Aguilar said. “Air arrivals to The Bahamas have continued [to] trend upwards since the last quarter of 2017 and have been consistently up by 15% since May 2018.

“Sea arrivals to The Bahamas have shown a 2% increase for 2018. Stopover visitor arrivals to the destination between the months of January to October YTD (Year- to-Date) 2018 are up from all of the major markets of The Bahamas: USA (up 7%), Canada (up 12%), Europe (up 3%), Caribbean (up 13%), Latin America (up 4%), and even the Rest of the World (up 3%). Please note that Canada, with its 12 % increase, is by far our best performing market in 2018.”

Minister D’Aguilar said the United States continues to be the leading source market by sheer volume with arrivals up by a “healthy” 7% percent.

“This is due in part to new and expanded airlift from major U.S. carriers such as Delta and American Airlines, strengthening our connections to the key markets of New York, Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta and Chicago.”

Stopover visitors to The Bahamas between the months of January to October 2018 were up in the double digits from most of the U.S. states.

Minister D’Aguilar said new and revitalized product is helping to drive tourism growth.

In October, Expedia reported greater than 30 percent increase in room night sales; and hotel gross bookings also increased by greater than 25 percent year-over-year from January through October.

The Bahamas also appeared as “a trending and growing destination” on key booking sites such as Kayak, Expedia and Airbnb.

“Arrivals to The Bahamas are stronger than ever,” Minister D’Aguilar said. “A wellspring of new, and recently opened hotels offer visitors even more ways to experience the authentic culture of the islands.

“Atlantis, Paradise Island, has debuted a fresh, new brand and renovations reconnecting with its Bahamian roots. Baha Mar is now fully open, with three distinct properties welcoming visitors, and business is strong.”

 The Tourism and Aviation Minister said favourable outlook is supported by improved air connectivity from the United States for the next six months (Nov 2018 – Apr 2019), up by 15.3%.

 

By Matt Maura

Release: BIS

Photo Caption: Minister of Tourism & Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar.  

(BIS Photo/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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