Infrastructure Development A Top Interest For 2025
The Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA), led by newly appointed President, Jackson Weech, alongside Immediate Past President Robert “Sandy” Sands, Senior Vice President Manny Alexiou, and fellow Executive Committee Members, met to set BHTA’s short-term strategic plan for 2025 and 2026.
The cadre of senior, seasoned hospitality professionals and entrepreneurs including Pam Burnside, Vice President for Allied Members, Jermaine Wright, long serving Vice President of Nassau/Paradise Island, newcomer Victor Karavias, VP for Family Islands, Treasurer, Chevaz Chambers and Promotion Board lead executives, Joy Jibrilu and Kerry Fountain, Chairpersons representing Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) and Bahamas Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB) assembled to discuss key topics, that have and will continue to have a significant impact on the tourism industry.
Recognizing the efforts and achievements of BHTA’s past undertakings, working collaboratively with public, private and quasi-governmental agencies and entities, President Weech spoke of the need to “continue to Progress, Augment and Enhance efforts to attend to Critical topics of Interest (CTI’s) that are foundational to the future development of the tourism industry in The Bahamas”. Weech also spoke to the need to continuously “self-assess the organizations success in trying to help to move the proverbial needle when it comes to key concerns.”
President Weech stated, “For over 70 years, we have worked hand-in-hand with The Bahamas Government, alongside and on behalf of our Members, Industry Partners, to lend our support, insight, our professional acumen to help guide, influence and contribute to the development and deployment of public policies , processes, actions and activities, that remain impactful for our tourism industry and the vast realm of stakeholder participants whose lives and livelihood are directed by, and/or derived from, our Number One Industry. I am pleased and grateful for the people, the leaders in our organization, Past Presidents, Executive Committee Representatives, Board of Directors, Members, our private sector supporters, and public sector partners who continue to work assiduously to achieve common goals; together we have experienced globally impactful, tumultuous times, and we have come out not just surviving, thriving. However there is much work to be done if we want to continue to see long-term sustainable, positive growth of our Tourism Industry, in an economically sound, environmentally aware manner, that impacts the widest possible sector of our population; community members, entrepreneurs, investors, owners, operators, team members.
Lead representatives of the BHTA, at the 2025 Focus Retreat, affirmed their commitment to advance BHTA’s mandate, with the support of members, individuals serving on BHTA’s Board of Directors and alongside public and private partners. The group agreed to focus, hone, and heighten efforts to work collaboratively and communicatively to address key CTI’s, including; Infrastructure Improvements and Development; the provision of consistent quality, cost effective utilities to businesses and communities throughout the archipelago, (Power, Water, Waste Disposal), Airport Developments, Health and Safety Facilities; Product Improvement, Beautification Initiatives; Workforce Development, Internships, Mentorships, Scholarships, Skills Training & Customer Service, Productivity; Expanding Revenue Earning Opportunities for and from, Tourism Participants and Benefactors, Improving Ease and Cost of Doing Business, Enhancing Local Sourcing and Entrepreneurship.
The Key Critical Areas of “Interest” identified in the meeting were “adopted” by specific Advocacy Leaders, who alongside committee members would liaise and work collaboratively with, respective public and quasi-public, private sector industry partners, to progress, develop and deploy measurable, impactful strategies to achieve realistic common goals for the betterment of the tourism economy in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Pictured from left to right: Kerry Fountain, BHTA Chairperson, Victor Karavias, BHTA, Vice President, Family Islands, Suzanne Pattusch, BHTA Executive Vice President, Jackson Weech, BHTA President, Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Alexiou, BHTA Senior Vice President, Pamela Burnside, BHTA Vice President, Allied Members, Chevaz Chambers, BHTA, Treasurer, Joy Jibrilu, BHTA Chairperson, Jermaine Wright, BHTA Vice President, Nassau & Paradise Island and Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands, BHTA Immediate Past President.
Youri Kemp
The Nassau Guardian
