NASSAU, The Bahamas — The Bahamas’ tourism brand remains robust and resilient in the wake of crime reports. That, according to the Hon. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation.
He was making a Contribution in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, on the Tourism Travel Advisory Update, and the media coverage of such.
On January 26, 2024 the U.S. Department of State re-stated a “Level 2” Travel Advisory for The Bahamas asking travelers to exercise caution.
“This Level 2 is not new, it has been in place for many years, and a great many popular tourist destinations share this Level 2 designation,” said Deputy Prime Minister Cooper.
The State Department advisory pointed to a wave of crime in the country in non-tourist areas of New Providence during January.
Subsequently, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis issued an official statement assuring visitors that The Bahamas remains a safe destination for tourists.
“We renew that message today!” declared Deputy Prime Minister Cooper, adding that it is a message he was also happy to report, which has been echoed by many visitors, and that January 2024 numbers have exceeded January 2023 arrivals.
“When I spoke in this place after the issuance of the Travel Advisory, I assured you that we would pull out all the stops to address the concerns of potential visitors to mitigate the impact of the warning and that we would do so in a calm, deliberate and sober manner. That is what we have done, and that is what we are continuing to do.”
He continued: “I am very pleased to report that what we are learning now is that, despite some negative impacts which we take seriously and must address, our tourism brand continues to be robust and resilient.
“While there were two separate, very significant spikes of negative press coverage and social media, following the State Department news and then the assault allegations, both the press coverage and social media engagement fell quickly after each spike.”
He reported that by February 7, 2024, overall coverage had returned nearly to pre-advisory levels.
And, he shared strategies underway to shape an effective response to combat the impact of those reports.
“Central to shaping an effective response is collecting data from various information streams, to understand the scope and nature of the impact.
“We are monitoring communications channels throughout the globe, using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, along with analytics from our domestic and global partners, with assistance from our international PR agencies and professional crisis management experts.
“Our comprehensive analysis has unearthed important insights, offering us a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics at play in the wake of this advisory, and allowing us to create a targeted strategy, which is already beginning to work, although there is of course, much work ahead,” he said.
The DPM also shared additional proactive measures the MOTIA and its stakeholders are undertaking to mitigate fallout and pave the way for an even brighter future for the tourism industry.
“One of our primary initiatives is open communication and collaboration with key stakeholders in the travel industry,” he said.
Tourism is also engaging in extensive outreach to wholesalers, tour operators, and consortia, disseminating accurate information to address traveler apprehension.
“Through paid ads in trade publications, informative webinars, and in-person meetings with tour operators and distribution partners, we are working diligently to reassure our partners and stakeholders of the safety and allure of The Bahamas as a premier travel destination,” he said.
