The Bahamas Hotel Association has placed much stock in the $1.3 million grant from the Multi Lateral Investment Fund of the Inter American Development Bank that is expected to boost the Bahamas’ sustainable tourism effort.
The Executive Director Frank Comito communicated as much in an Environmental and Sustainable Tourism Report he gave to the association’s annual general meeting that was held on Friday.
The IDB announced that the loan had been approved last month.
The BHA intends to use the funding for small and medium sized hotel properties that promote the concept of eco-tourism.
“The end result will be a new mix of diversified tourist products and packages appealing to specific markets, such as heritage eco, cultural and nature tourism,” Mr. Comito reported.
He said the overall objective is to improve the competitiveness of ten islands that have been designated as pilot destinations and enhance The Bahamas’ ability to position itself as a sustainable tourism destination.
In a press statement, the MIF said the resources are specifically for smaller tourism businesses interested in enhancing their product development and promoting eco-tourism in addition to other new products.
The funding is reserved exclusively for Family Island resort properties, many of which thrive on eco-sensitive themes that entice the guest to become enveloped in nature and draw on historical elements.
But in exchange, the hotel operators would have to boost their property standards to industry and international norms.
“This is in terms of standards, service and quality of rooms and also assist with antiquities, monuments and historical sites and venues so that each person can have a well rounded experience,” said Earl Bethel, president of the BHA. “It is a matter of doing a lot of training and passing certain health requirements.”
Under the terms of the arrangement for the MIF funding, the BHA also has to invest funding into the programme.
Mr. Bethel explained that approval for the funding came about after more than a year of talks with officials. Now, the details are being worked out.
The areas that are expected to be developed under the programme involve heritage, culture and nature which are billed as niche markets with a potential for further development.
According to the MIF, the funding is directed to islands other than New Providence and Grand Bahama because those areas have more limited tourism facilities and have less congested natural attractions.
“A matching grant system for financing technical assistance and the branding and marketing of pilot tourism destinations will also be financed by the program, which is designed to benefit 75 accommodations providers, 20 marinas and 50 tourism services providers, as well as other sectors of the industry,” the MIF statement noted.
Tourism officials have long recognized the boundless potential for eco-tourism to help drive this country’s economic engine while promoting a more sustainable environment, the diversification of the tourism product and reducing operating costs.
Mr. Bethel acknowledged that the concept of eco-tourism is not taking flight as fast as officials had hoped, but he explained: “Persons who are into this type of tourism are not going to broadcast it. They are the type of people who like to go to those secluded areas and deal with nature and they try to keep these sites to themselves.”
Source: The Bahama Journal
