Bahamas Tourism Industry Turnaround

The Problem/Challenge
Natural beauty, excellent warm climate, friendly and hospitable citizens were not sufficient in the Grand Bahama Island. Tourist arrivals were down, occupancy rates at hotels and resorts were low and there was severe pressure on the tourism industry as a whole.

Objectives

• To develop a comprehensive strategic plan and strategy towards the recovery of the tourism sector in the Bahamas (particularly the Grand Bahama Island).

Methodology

• Market Research and Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• Extensive consultation and collaboration with key stakeholders

Strategy

• The development of a 'Tourism Begins a Home' programme. The ethos of this strategy was to promote and expand tourism from within. It's main aim was to encourage nationals of the Bahamas to be tourists in their own country. This not only created an increase in tourism activity but also gave Bahamians a greater appreciation for their country and thus made them better tourism ambassadors and tourism 'experts' as it were.
• In addition to long-term strategic plans, the destination also needed immediate remedial action. 'Tourism Begins at Home' addressed this issue.