ATLANTIS, Paradise Island, The Bahamas — The Routes Americas 2025 Conference announced a number of initiatives aimed at growing the tourism product of the region, and of The Bahamas.
In panel discussion, Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper called for more Caribbean collaboration in attracting flights from Europe, the Middle East, South and Central America…, at Routes Americas 2025.
Routes Americas 2025 is the region’s leading air service development conference, which was held this year, February 10-12, at Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.
Deputy Prime Minister Cooper was among a list of esteemed ministers from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) who discussed the topic: “Shaping the Future of Caribbean Tourism”. The ministerial dialogue focused on the future of tourism in the region and how they are working collaboratively to ensure sustainable growth and resilience.
Other panelists included the Hon. Valerie Damaseau, Commissioner of Tourism and Culture, Saint Martin; the Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism & Ports, Cayman Islands; and the Hon. Ian Gooding-Edghill, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Barbados. The session was moderated by Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary General & CEO, Caribbean Tourism Organization.
DPM Cooper called for “less talk and more action,” while urging regional airport and airline operators to collaborate on a unified approach to attracting additional flights from Europe, the Middle East, South and Central America and other areas.
He stressed: “Airlines are losing money, and therefore they must collaborate and bring technical expertise to minimize losses. They need to broaden their strategy and invest in the Caribbean region. The southern Caribbean will benefit through the work of CTO’s airlift strategy, and hopefully, The Bahamas will become a hub that attracts additional flights from Europe, the Middle East, South and Central America, and others.”
Deputy Prime Minister Cooper said The Bahamas has its challenges, being a 16-island destination – each island offering a unique flavour within the overall tourism product.
And, that the national flag carrier Bahamasair operates to ensure local connectivity around the Family Islands, as well as regionally to destinations like Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica.
He shared an update on the Family Islands Airports Renaissance Project, stating: “We have a 14-airport program totaling $300 million. We are executing an arrangement for the management of four airports, and once that is completed, we will make an announcement.”
Regarding additional rooms to accommodate stopover visitors, he said that doubling the country’s 15,000-hotel room inventory over the next 10 years is ‘achievable’ and necessary to facilitate this increase.
“We have roughly 15,000 rooms. I have said I would like to see that number double over the next 10 years. I think that’s achievable. Every resort will contribute toward achieving that goal. Resorts that are not fully operational now will come on stream, but certainly, it takes time to develop a resort. We won’t achieve an additional 10,000 to 15,000 rooms immediately, but over time, this has to be the sustained strategy,” DPM Cooper.
Routes Americas 2025 brought together more than 1,023 attendees from 63 countries in a decision-making fashion to define the region’s air service networks. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation; Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board; and Nassau Airport Development Company.
