The government is hoping to implement a more secure visa document for persons traveling to The Bahamas before the end of the year. <\/p>\n
It is seen as a crucial step in luring high-end tourists from what has become a lucrative Asian market.<\/p>\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell revealed those plans on Thursday during a telephone interview with The Bahama Journal from India after meeting that country’s Association of Tour Operators.<\/p>\n
At the meeting, there was an exchange of views on the potential for tourism from India.<\/p>\n
President of the Association, Subhash Goyal, said India was a high-end tourist market with high net worth individuals who were interested in high-end up market service.<\/p>\n
During the Tourism Conference earlier this month, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe announced that there would be a special thrust in Asia, an idea Minister Mitchell endorses.<\/p>\n
“There is a great deal of wealth in all of these countries because of the state of their economies,” Minister Mitchell said. <\/p>\n
“A large class of people with a great deal of wealth are interested in traveling to places where they have never been before and we found that this is the case in India-Tour operators are rearing to go. The country has a good reputation overseas and so they are quite interested in coming and spending their money with us.”<\/p>\n
According to Minister Mitchell, Bahamian tourism officials will travel to India later this year to examine the possibilities of making this happen.<\/p>\n
Meantime, Mr. Goyal urged that The Bahamas review its procedures regarding the issuance of visas for Indians who have U.S. or British visas.<\/p>\n
Minister Mitchell said, “Tourism has in fact asked us to look at this and we’re working with them to sort out what the procedures would be.”<\/p>\n
Minister Mitchell’s visit to India follows his meeting with officials in China. Bahamian officials officially opened an embassy in Beijing, which they believe is a crucial step in The Bahamas luring an influx of Chinese tourists.<\/p>\n
China has a population of 1.3 billion people, and according to tourism officials, at least 50 million can afford a vacation to far-flung destinations like The Bahamas. Only a fraction of Chinese visitors travel to the region annually, and most of them go to Cuba. <\/p>\n
The Bahamas is also hoping to increase trade with China. <\/p>\n
The delegation next headed to India’s financial capital, Mumbai, where a meeting was expected to take place with representatives of that country’s financial sector.<\/p>\n
Minister Mitchell is expected back in the capital this weekend.<\/p>\n
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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