Hotel Industry’s Eye On Outlook For 2020
Minister of Social Services and Urban Development and acting Minister of Tourism & Aviation, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, welcomed the Prime Minister and sat alongside senior executives of the BHTA including President Carlton Russell, Senior Vice President, Robert “Sandy” Sands, Immediate Past President Stuart Bowe and Jamal Glover, Treasurer of the BHTA.
Tourism partners including the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s Director General Joy Jibrilu, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) CEO, Fred Lounsberry; Ian Rolle, Acting Chairman of The Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board (GBITB); Kerry Fountain, Executive Director of the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB), Basil Smith, Executive Director of the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) and Vernice Walkine, President and CEO of the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) presented on the recent undertakings, status and outlook of their respective industries and organizations. Senior hotel operators reported on their properties’ performance pre and post Hurricane Dorian and their forecast for 2020. Most organizations indicated strong performance pre Dorian; and acknowledged the cross-sector downturn in the economy post Dorian.
Tourism executives were cautiously optimistic for the new year; with performance indicators beginning to show signs of a sustained rebound. Many properties spoke of exciting projects planned for their respective resorts, and hoped that the investment and improvement in the tourism product would continue to add value to the entire tourism plant and assist in the full recovery of our tourism economy.
The attendees lauded the strong and swift rebound of Grand Bahama; and applauded those in Abaco who were rebuilding and restoring their businesses; with two properties, Abaco Club and Sandpiper Inn opening their doors for business. It was widely apparent, as tourism stakeholders from both the public and private sector throughout the archipelago made their presentations that stakeholders were working collaboratively; speaking with a unified voice as they spread the message throughout international and regional markets; that “The Bahamas is open for business”.
Caption: Pictured from left to right: Ellison “Tommy” Thompson Deputy Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT), Jamal Glover, Treasurer Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Stuart Bowe, Immediate Past President BHTA, Joy Jibrilu, Director General, BMOT, Carlton Russell, President, BHTA, The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Alexander Minnis, Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, Robert “Sandy” Sands, Senior Vice President BHTA, Dean Spychalla, VP for Out Islands, BHTA.
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