• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

Travel Magazine

Top Travel Destinations in Pictures

  • Travel Advertising
  • Make a Contribution
  • Contact

2020 In Review: The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation Reflects on a Difficult Year and Looks Forward to Brighter Days to Come

December 28, 2020 By Travel Magazine

As 2020 comes to an end, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is once again reflecting on a remarkably historic and challenging year. After celebrating a record-breaking seven million visitors in 2019, the country was poised for continued growth and tourism-driven prosperity, thanks to planned increases in airlift from several major airlines, not to mention the endorsement of international media outlets, such as The New York Times, Frommer’s and The Globe and Mail, among others, that had touted The Bahamas as a must-visit destination in 2020.

2020 In Review: The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation Reflects on a Difficult Year and Looks Forward to Brighter Days to Come

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unforeseen crisis that has had an unprecedented impact on the global tourism industry, the effects of which have been felt greatly in The Bahamas. Tourism is the heart of the country and, therefore, is everyone’s business. As was seen after Hurricane Dorian, Bahamians are no strangers to making history under difficult circumstances. Now, the Bahamian people have come together as a family of islands, united in strength and resilience to help curb the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that business can soon prosper again. There is great optimism in that the islands will see a return to record breaking visitor numbers, once it is safe for all to travel freely again. In the meantime, the government is doing all that is possible to get Bahamians back to work.

“It is with the consistent support and collaboration of The Bahamas’ tourism stakeholders, promotion boards, agencies, media and other travel partners that the country has been able to establish the on-island guidelines and preventative measures to help curb further spread of COVID-19,” said the Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation, Dionisio D’Aguilar. “Our new, streamlined protocols for entry and inter-island travel, adjusted after careful monitoring, diligent analysis and swift response from all government entities, responsibly enforce public health and safety measures while allowing travellers to more freely enjoy our vacation experience.”

The latest protocols have been well received by consumers and tourism partners alike and coincide with news of hotel property reopenings and increased airlift resumption. Of note, three of the largest hotel properties in Nassau – Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, Atlantis Paradise Island and British Colonial Hilton – are reopening mid-December, with additional hotel inventory coming back in January and February. Also starting mid-December, top U.S. airline carriers including JetBlue, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta are adding flights to their schedules.

“It is our duty at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation to promote tourism to our beautiful country, and while 2020 brought unprecedented roadblocks to that task, our optimism and dedication to that mission never wavered,” said Joy Jibrilu, Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation. “As we look ahead to 2021, we will continue to find new and unique ways to promote our islands offerings through expanded programs and initiatives that will bring even more visitors back to our shores as quickly as possible.”

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation continues its aggressive public relations and marketing campaign to reach key markets in the U.S. and promote that The Bahamas is open for business, while sharing entry requirements and travel protocols necessary to keep the country safe. Promotional tactics include:

Targeted Media Plan – Since the beginning of March, a strategic, geo-targeted media plan has been underway with the goal of keeping The Bahamas in the consideration set for travellers, specifically those living in key markets such as South Florida, Houston and New York, and enticing those who have frequented the destination in the past to return.
Robust Media Outreach – Consistent and widespread communication to tourism, lifestyle and news media has informed consumers that The Bahamas is open for visitors, while sharing accurate information on entry requirements and on-island protocols that will impact visitors. Publications that cover key vertical markets such as private aviation and boating were also targeted to ensure their audiences are informed of the latest requirements for visiting The Bahamas.
Recent Awards – The Bahamas swept the awards circuit this year, winning several top accolades. The Still Rockin’ campaign, narrated by Bahamian-American rock legend Lenny Kravitz, was awarded the best destination advertising/marketing campaign in this year’s Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, the premier awards for the travel industry. Additionally, Caribbean Travel Awards named The Bahamas Innovative Destination of the Year; four Bahamian hotels including Kamalame Cay, Rosewood Baha Mar, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar and SLS Baha Mar were recognized by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and The Islands of The Bahamas has been recognized in this year’s Scuba Diving Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards, with placements highlighting the destination’s vast dive offerings across 700 islands and cays. The awards included The Bahamas winning top spots in many categories but most notable #1st in the big animals’ category. Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards Recognizes The Bahamas in Three Categories – In Caribbean Journal’s 7th annual Caribbean Travel Awards, The Bahamas was awarded Innovative Destination of the Year for its continued flexibility throughout the pandemic and setting a standard for destination entry practices. Additionally, Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport was named Caribbean Airport of the Year and Graycliff was recognized as the Caribbean Restaurant of the Year.
Bahamas Extended Stay Program – The Islands of The Bahamas announced its new Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS) program, a one-year residency permit designed to allow professionals and students to pack their laptop and their swimwear as they march to the beat of their own island drum, remotely, from The Bahamas.
Refreshed Website – A new, revamped Bahamas.com website is preparing to launch, offering a more user-friendly interface and including additional tools to promote key passion points for potential travellers. New sections will highlight romance, events, adventure and an extensive focus on how to get to the Out Islands.
Virtual Sales and Vertical Market Offerings – As sales and vertical market promotion could not be conducted in-person this year, the Ministry of Tourism’s sales team worked quickly to come up with virtual offerings that would keep the travel trade community engaged. This work included the development of a new virtual platform for webinars and trade shows. The Bahamas specialist program was newly redeveloped to close the gap between education, inspiration and sales. With this new technology, the Ministry of Tourism conducted virtual events around the world bringing all suppliers and trade partners together to share and discuss COVID-19 protocols and updates. Additional virtual events included: the first-ever virtual Bahamas dive pavilion for dive operators during DEMA, the largest dive supplier show in the world; webinars for private aviators espousing the coming pre-clearance initiative in South Florida and Facebook Live events featuring culinary experts, award winning mixologists and other local craftsmen. Lastly, the team worked hard to strengthen relationships with air partners in an effort to facilitate the return of international flights. The Ministry also launched a dive and boat ambassador program which includes top influencers in the industry who will support and assist us in promoting the destination. Highlights for Romance 2020 include successful participation to TravAlliance Fall show for Destination Weddings and Honeymoon Segment and official review of The Bahamas’ Romance Magazine which will be fully launched during the Ministry’s Romance Forum in March of 2021.
Authentic Storytelling – An award-winning content marketing campaign featured local Bahamians speaking to the country’s culture, cuisine, art and other unique offerings that make The Bahamas stand out from other island getaways.
Blogger Program – In addition to an authentic storytelling program, the Ministry of Tourism also developed a robust blogging program on Bahamas.com where local influencers and writers shared their stories of travel and culture in The Bahamas in hopes of inspiring wanderlust and connecting with future visitors.
Local Content Shoots – In an effort to keep new creative content flowing on Visit The Bahamas social channels, the Ministry enlisted local talent and camera crews to shoot content aimed at enticing users to want to learn more about the destination.

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS
With over 700 islands and cays, and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy fly away escape that transports travellers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to see why It’s Better in The Bahamas.

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
http://www.bahamas.com

Filed Under: Travel Guide

Footer

Recent Posts

  • THE ROYAL SONESTA BRAND IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FRANCHISING
  • What Labor Day Travel Data Tells Us About the State of Travel
  • Travel is a mess all over the world
  • World’s most livable cities
  • Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours Announces Athens Tour Routes
  • Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours Offers Tours of London Landmarks
  • Why do people love cruises?
  • Spain experiencing a heat wave
  • What was it like to be on a cruise ship as Covid-19 was all the rage?
  • Summer is Here: The Raft of the Medusa

Travel Market

Tour of Ancient Rome
June U.S. Travel Agency Air Ticket Sales Pass $4 Billion
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Selects AWS as Its Preferred Cloud Provider to Enhance Guest Experiences
Another Grim Year For Global Tourism
Good Old Vienna
US Travelers Confident to Return to Skies and Business Travel Poised for Fall Comeback, Reveals Cirium Survey
Should You Really Use a Travel Agent? – WSJ
Syracuse, Sicily
Few industries in South Africa have suffered as much as tourism
International Mountain Tourism Day 2022 themed events kick off online

Media Partners

  • Travel Marketing
  • Virtual Travel Guide
Get a Unique Travel Experience with FindGuide
What is smart tourism
London losing out tax-free shopping to Paris and Milan
uin Art Travel Shoes Unveils Its Design Philosophy -“CALSEN”
What is the concept of French bistro?
World Travel Market London 2022, November 7 – 9, 2022, Exhibition Centre London
Why do young people prefer to travel abroad?
Popular tourist destinations are facing a shortage of workers
Hotel Meliá Madrid Princesa, Madrid, Spain
Travel app Hopper raises $96M
At the start of the year Rzeszow was the 15th-biggest city in Poland
Birdwatching, hiking and hearty campfire cuisine with ex-FARC guerrillas in Colombia
The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris is on track to reopen in 2024
Auray, Brittany, France
The British Museum has the world’s largest collection of Benin bronzes
Labyrinth pavement at Chartres Cathedral, France
Best Museums in London
The cost of renting a London home on Airbnb has jumped on tourist demand
Photo of the Day: Angers, France
A local’s guide to Antwerp, Belgium

Copyright © 2013 TravelMagazine.org

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT