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BHTA Holds 70th Annual General Meeting

editor
The Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) held its 70th Annual General Meeting at the Baha Mar Convention Centre on Friday, December 9th 2022.   

The in-person event; BHTA’s first since the pandemic, brought together a cadre of private tourism stakeholders, government and quasi-government representatives who were presented with a variety of comprehensive reports from tourism industry partners including The President of The Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Industry, Mr. Robert “Sandy” Sands, who was re-elected to serve as President of The BHTA for another 2-year term; Mr. Jackson Weech, Senior Vice President (SVP) of The BHTA and Mr. Jamal Glover, Treasurer of The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association both of whom were also re-elected to serve in their respective capacities.    

Ms. Vernice Walkine, Vice President for Allied Members and President & CEO of The Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) reported and was also re-elected to serve for an additional term. Mr. Jermaine Wright, General Manager, Comfort Suites Paradise Island; Mr. Marco Gobbi, General Manager of Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, Grand Bahama and Emmanuel “Manny” Alexiou, of Abaco Beach Resort & Marina, Abaco, were elected to serve as Vice President for Nassau, Paradise Island; Grand Bahama and The Family Islands respectively.  

Also reporting at the tourism centric meeting was; Promotion Board Partners including Mrs. Joy Jibrilu, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board’s (NPIPB) Chief Executive Officer and BHTA Chairperson,  Mr. Kerry Fountain, Executive Director of the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB) and BHTA Chairperson, Mrs. Carmel Churchill from The Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board and Basil Smith, Executive Director of The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) and BHTA Chairperson.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation reported; and were well-represented with Permanent Secretary Reginald Saunders, Acting Director General, Latia Duncombe in attendance, alongside several senior directors from Team Tourism. 

Shevonn Cambridge, Chief Executive Officer, Bahamas Power & Light  (BPL) presented BHTA members with a Special Report; in follow-up to an invitation extended to the CEO at a meeting held earlier between the power company and BHTA Executives.

BPL’s attendance, participation and presentation at The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s 70th Annual General Meeting was part of an overarching effort to “continue the conversation and collaborate in a meaningful manner” to achieve the common aim of addressing the cost and provision of power in New Providence and Family Islands.

Just prior to the commencement of the BHTA’s election process; The Rt. Hon. Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas rounded out the series of presentations with his Keynote Speech, which was delivered to attendees via a video presentation.    

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, as an advocate for industry, looks forward to continuing to serve members, and the wider tourism community as The Voice of Industry; and a key liaison between private-sector tourism stakeholders and decision-makers in The Government; and quasi-governmental organizations.