Tourism executives and economists yesterday said they were “amazed” and “startled” by a survey that found travellers believed Nassau/Paradise Island had suffered more “extreme” damage from hurricanes than the Cayman Islands, which faced the full brunt of Hurricane Ivan.
The Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell (YPB&R) study found that 28 per cent of respondents believed Nassau/Paradise Island had suffered “extreme” damage from Frances and Jeanne, but only 27 per cent felt Cayman had suffered extreme damage from Ivan.
Compounding concerns for the tourism industry’s short-term performance, the study found that between 20-25 per cent of respondents indicated they were “less likely” to visit the Bahamas and the Caribbean prior to 2004 year-end. About one in four said they were “less likely” to visit the region between July and September 2005.
In an interview with The Tribune, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said although it was true the Bahamas experienced damage in Freeport, which is one of the country’s main tourism areas, whether it was Grand Bahama, Abaco or San Salvador, every effort was being made to return the product to some degree of marmality.
Already aware of the widespread perception that the Bahamas is a single destination, tourism officials are seeking to combat the negative press and educate travellers on their nation’s geography.
In addition to launching a new marketing programme on October 11, the Ministry of Tourism is also looking at a number of other initiatives, including attendance at various trade fairs and the florida -Caribbean Cruise Association conference being held in Barbados to get the word out that although some parts of the Bahamas were damaged, it remains open for business.
Source: Yolanda Deleveaux, The Tribune
