IDB assisting Bahamas government for acquiring new system to enhance tourism product

Bahamas: Bahamas‘ Tourism Development Corporation – TDC and Ministry of Tourism and Aviation are being assisted by the Inter-American Development Bank – IDB in acquiring certification systems that will be further used to strengthen the tourism product of the island country.

TDC stated that the primary objective of this project is to improve the resiliency and sustainability of Bahamas as a tourism destination, improve the state of the natural environment, develop destination competitiveness, and assure that revenue from tourism reaches a more significant proportion of Bahamian communities.

IDB’s Bahamas Country Representative – Daniela Carrera-Marquis, cited that, “This technical co-operation represents a solid commitment to achieving measurable influence in the tourism industry of the Bahamas.”

Marquis added that Tourism is the force that drives the Bahamian economy and has registered unique challenges in the past several years following Hurricane Dorian and the current COVID-19 pandemic and noted that IDB is committed to supporting their member countries during the recovery process.

Carrera-Marquis, following the statement, asserted, “This project would help to build capacity in the nations’ tourism industry and foster a sustainable and comprehensive recovery that maximises the efforts of the Government in the Bahamas and around the region.”

Tourism experts who are participating in the project are – Sea Going Green, a Dutch sustainable marine tourism consultancy, Green Case Consulting – a UK-based Sustainable Tourism specialist, Oceanic Global – a US-based non-profit and sustainability verification programme; and climate change experts JF Clarke Consulting from Barbados.

Besides this, the Bahamian sustainable tourism practitioners – Rashema Ingraham, Kendria Ferguson, and Dr Jennifer Edwards play a significant role in the project’s delivery.

The project head – Rachel McCaffery, cited, “For decades, tourists have gathered to the Bahamas for the island’s beautiful natural attractions and its rich cultural heritage. This plan would aim to cultivate local expertise to maintain that beauty for generations to come.”