Tourism chiefs have expressed concern about he Bahamas being viewed as an unsafe travel destination for American visitors.
Director of communications at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Basil Smith, admits that his ministry is more than a little concerned about the amount of bad press and the effect it has on potential visitors to The Bahamas.
Most recently the St. Petersburg Times, a Florida-based newspaper, published an article comparing the Bahamas’ nightlife to the nightlife surrounding the Natalee Holloway case in Aruba. It referred to resort destinations like the Bahamas as being popular among the under-21 set offering “gorgeaous beaches, crystal-clear water and no-holds-barred partying”.
In addition, a Florida resident has posted complaints about her travel experiences to the Bahamas on the Travel Troubles portion of MSNBC.com
Nancy Miller, the Florida resident complained of $640, jewellery and a cell phone being stolen from her hotel room at the Wydham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino. Ms. Miller was not present at the time of the theft, but the sliding glas door of her bedroom had been left unlocked.
The US State Department warns visitors to the Bahamas to always have doors locked and to “never leave valuables unattended, especially on beaches”.
Mr. Smith said that issues of this sort are a rising concern for the Bahamas. Yet, despite an increase in crme over the past three years little has been done to combat it. Criminal behaviour is glorified and rewarded in the Bahamas.
Despite having the highest number of tourist deaths of any Caribbean nation, Mr. Smith says, “We don’t believe that the Bahamas deserves to be considered as unsafe. We are one of the safest places in the hemisphere and should be noted as such.”
