“It's of little comfort to hoteliers. But many American tourists canceling trips to The Bahamas because of new passport laws are still flying south - south to the Florida Keys.”
I had to respond to this post because I am getting sick and tired of Bahamians blaming the decline of the tourism on the American passport requirements. Its time to face up to the real issues that are causing foreigners not to visit the Bahamas (primarily Nassau and Freeport.) The bottom line is that the majority of visitors are no longer having a pleasurable experience and the Bahamas is being out performed by other Caribbean destinations including the Florida Keys. I have spoken to many acquaintances that have visited Nassau and Freeport and they swear they will never go back. Its time to shape up if Bahamas if you have any intention of utilizing tourism as your prime GNP.
Now before you get going on your high horse and criticize this post as “Yankee rhetoric” I am not American and I was raised in Long Island and attended school in Nassau. That would explain the Freshwater conch.
So I challenge each and every one of you to the following test. In the current state of affairs list five reasons why someone should visit the Bahamas. Imagine that you needed to list the top five reasons on a brochure that was to be circulated around the world. Skip the warm smiling faces and clear blue water there are too many competing tourist destinations that could make this claim.
Here are the five reasons that could explain why tourists are striking the Bahamas off their list:
1. One of the highest murder rates per capita in the northern hemisphere
2. The highest driving fatality rate in the Caribbean per capita
3. The airport is simply atrocious and is an embarrassment. The national airline is not dependable and private charters are crashing all the time.
4. Nassau and its past jewel Bay Street is dirty, it smells and the streets are, well you know you drive them. How about the Straw Market and those rats.
5. Expensive, Expensive, Expensive. There is nothing wrong with paying $500 a night for hotel room but you have to give some bang for the buck. Tourists aren’t stupid. At the end of the weekend they look at the expense compared to the experience, the value is just not there and the tourist is going else ware.
There you go my fellow Bahamian comrades; you are now the Minister of Tourism. You have the attention of the world and five reasons to bring the tourist back.

Numbers 5 is what tourists care the most. You are absolutely right about everything you said.

1-Beach
2-Ocean
3-Jungelist Clubs
4-China Knockoffs & Pirate DVDs
5-Cheap Rum

+

6-Very Few Enforced Laws
7-Drink and Drive Legal

:D

“It's of little comfort to hoteliers. But many American tourists canceling trips to The Bahamas because of new passport laws are still flying south - south to the Florida Keys.”
I had to respond to this post because I am getting sick and tired of Bahamians blaming the decline of the tourism on the American passport requirements. Its time to face up to the real issues that are causing foreigners not to visit the Bahamas (primarily Nassau and Freeport.) The bottom line is that the majority of visitors are no longer having a pleasurable experience and the Bahamas is being out performed by other Caribbean destinations including the Florida Keys. I have spoken to many acquaintances that have visited Nassau and Freeport and they swear they will never go back. Its time to shape up if Bahamas if you have any intention of utilizing tourism as your prime GNP.
Now before you get going on your high horse and criticize this post as “Yankee rhetoric” I am not American and I was raised in Long Island and attended school in Nassau. That would explain the Freshwater conch.
So I challenge each and every one of you to the following test. In the current state of affairs list five reasons why someone should visit the Bahamas. Imagine that you needed to list the top five reasons on a brochure that was to be circulated around the world. Skip the warm smiling faces and clear blue water there are too many competing tourist destinations that could make this claim.
Here are the five reasons that could explain why tourists are striking the Bahamas off their list:
1. One of the highest murder rates per capita in the northern hemisphere
2. The highest driving fatality rate in the Caribbean per capita
3. The airport is simply atrocious and is an embarrassment. The national airline is not dependable and private charters are crashing all the time.
4. Nassau and its past jewel Bay Street is dirty, it smells and the streets are, well you know you drive them. How about the Straw Market and those rats.
5. Expensive, Expensive, Expensive. There is nothing wrong with paying $500 a night for hotel room but you have to give some bang for the buck. Tourists aren’t stupid. At the end of the weekend they look at the expense compared to the experience, the value is just not there and the tourist is going else ware.
There you go my fellow Bahamian comrades; you are now the Minister of Tourism. You have the attention of the world and five reasons to bring the tourist back.

The dirtiness is nasty too.

I know one ting..our customer service certainly dont make it better in The Bahamas...

Five reasons that tourists are not returning to the Bahamas:

1. We are a ridiculously expensive and overpriced destination.

2. We don't showcase enough of our indigenous culture, but a quasi-American and quasi-Jamaican one. eg. Starbucks and Hey Mon t-shirts. I think most tourist would appreciate some true authentic Bahamian culture.

3. Nassau is too dirty, especially the main attraction Bay Street.

4.We don't have enough of a diversified tourism product. We don't need a ton of Atlantis replicas on each island. Some more eco-tourism spots, bone fishing lodges, maybe even a nudist resort (yeah I said it) could appeal to more tourists tastes.

5.Our customer service is poor.


Now if we can reverse all of these points in a positive, I think we can maintain a top destination ranking within the region.

What can we do about it? If we dont fix it, we will hurt. What do you suggest we do instead of pointing out the problem?

What can we do about it? If we dont fix it, we will hurt. What do you suggest we do instead of pointing out the problem?

We need to suddenly become poor and wanting..then we will learn to appreciate stuff. Until then..we just gonna continue giving our "number one industry" the finger because of our sense of entitlement.

“It's of little comfort to hoteliers. But many American tourists canceling trips to The Bahamas because of new passport laws are still flying south - south to the Florida Keys.”
I had to respond to this post because I am getting sick and tired of Bahamians blaming the decline of the tourism on the American passport requirements. Its time to face up to the real issues that are causing foreigners not to visit the Bahamas (primarily Nassau and Freeport.) The bottom line is that the majority of visitors are no longer having a pleasurable experience and the Bahamas is being out performed by other Caribbean destinations including the Florida Keys. I have spoken to many acquaintances that have visited Nassau and Freeport and they swear they will never go back. Its time to shape up if Bahamas if you have any intention of utilizing tourism as your prime GNP.
Now before you get going on your high horse and criticize this post as “Yankee rhetoric” I am not American and I was raised in Long Island and attended school in Nassau. That would explain the Freshwater conch.
So I challenge each and every one of you to the following test. In the current state of affairs list five reasons why someone should visit the Bahamas. Imagine that you needed to list the top five reasons on a brochure that was to be circulated around the world. Skip the warm smiling faces and clear blue water there are too many competing tourist destinations that could make this claim.
Here are the five reasons that could explain why tourists are striking the Bahamas off their list:
1. One of the highest murder rates per capita in the northern hemisphere
2. The highest driving fatality rate in the Caribbean per capita
3. The airport is simply atrocious and is an embarrassment. The national airline is not dependable and private charters are crashing all the time.
4. Nassau and its past jewel Bay Street is dirty, it smells and the streets are, well you know you drive them. How about the Straw Market and those rats.
5. Expensive, Expensive, Expensive. There is nothing wrong with paying $500 a night for hotel room but you have to give some bang for the buck. Tourists aren’t stupid. At the end of the weekend they look at the expense compared to the experience, the value is just not there and the tourist is going else ware.
There you go my fellow Bahamian comrades; you are now the Minister of Tourism. You have the attention of the world and five reasons to bring the tourist back.
I'm in 100% agreement with you. But i think mostly also is pricese. Atlantis is realy over priceing people. alot of tourist feel like their not getting value for money at atlantis, apart from the bad attitude they experience from time to time from employees who work there. People are going eleswear.

We need to suddenly become poor and wanting..then we will learn to appreciate stuff. Until then..we just gonna continue giving our "number one industry" the finger because of our sense of entitlement.



HALL-LEE-LOU-YER!


When our pocket is empty and so is our belly, we will feel it. :gi:

Diversification is LONG overdue. Until then, get rid of the filth, each person clean up/monitor their own nastiness level, and replace these NONSENSICAL customs duties that are driving up prices with sensible VAT or other sensible levels of taxation!

5 reasons to come to the bahamas

the unique bahamian accent (even though to the untrained ear it sounds like all the other island nations, but listen carefully and you will pic up catch phrases such as: "bey", "i ain hear ya", "wa ya say", "suc teet"

power boat adventures (unlike most other atrractions ie dolphin ecounters, power sailing, straw market that have been duplicated in other island countries. i believe power boat is one of a kind, there are similiar operations but nothing beats the power boat adventure)

pink sand beach (the pink sand beach of harbour island constantly tops the best beaches list all around the world.)

safer than most other caribbean destinations (the bahamas namely nassau has a crime problem but right now its no where near the crime problem in jamaica, trinidad etc etc)

atlantis hotel (regardless of what people think about the atlantis hotel one thing for sure it is a sight to behold and see and yes its worth going to the bahamas just to see it)

1-Beach
2-Ocean
3-Jungelist Clubs
4-China Knockoffs & Pirate DVDs
5-Cheap Rum

+

6-Very Few Enforced Laws
7-Drink and Drive Legal

:D


rory- ur last to was funny.

believe it or not alot of americans go to the bahamas and the other countries for slack laws.

they get a kick of going in a liquer store and not get the third degree.

I Feel As Though I Should Say The First Post Ask Yall To List Why People Should Come To The Bahamas. Rory's List Was The Closest The Rest Only Pointed Out Negatives.

Come On Yall I Am Sure Yall Can Think Of Positive Reasons Some One Would Want To Go To Bahamas.

Since Key West was mentioned let me add 2 cents.
Key West I a GLBT hot spot. They have held a GLBT Pride events for many years now. http://www.floridakeys.com/gay/

Most GLBT and theis familys and friends around the world go to where they feel welcome. They have moms, dads, brothers, sisters other family and friends. Many folks plan vacations as families and groups. When one or more of your family or group is GLBT you will not plan a vacation where they will be in danger.

What needs to be done. (this is along with the stuff mentioned in this thread thus far.)
Hate crime and hate speech laws. (not just for GLBT but all people, not just christians come to the Bahamas.)
A tourist protection law that adds time if the crime is agains't a tourist. Tourist need to know we take their protection seriously.
A few well placed rainbow flags downtown and symbols of other group/type of people.
Most Bahamians don't hate GLBT as the Roise Documentary tries to imply.

Have restaurants capable of doing ethnic food such as Kosher.

We need to offer diversity. (not just refering to GLBT)