In recent months, Nassau and Paradise Island have witnessed a surge in visitor numbers, as well as the debut of several new and refurbished hotels and attractions. So it’s no surprise that the destination’s tourism officials had plenty to talk about during this year’s International Travel Partners Conference.
The conference took place June 24-28 and attracted dozens of travel advisors, wholesalers, media and other industry professionals. It featured an array of presentations, meetings and festivities at two host hotels — The Royal at Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar — as well as several other venues.
The Bahamas has always benefited from its proximity to the U.S.; it's a competitive advantage.
One big topic of conversation was the destination’s impressive tourism growth. According to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the destination experienced a record-breaking year in 2023, with more than 9.65 million arrivals. Meanwhile, January to April 2024 arrivals surpassed the same period last year by 12% — for a total of 3.9 million arrivals. The largest number (3.2 million) arrived by cruise ship, while more than 660,000 arrived by air and some 41,500 by sea.
New and Refurbished
As the largest population center in the Bahamas, Nassau and Paradise Island are especially good examples of the destination’s continued growth. The booming hotel scene, for example, has added hundreds of new hotel rooms in recent years — including British Colonial Nassau, which reopened in February 2024 following a massive renovation; Goldwynn Resort & Residences, which debuted in 2023; and Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau, which opened in 2021.
Atlantis Paradise Island, meanwhile, has completed a $150 million renovation and unveiled Barbie-themed guestrooms and attractions, while Baha Mar — a resort complex that includes three hotels — is gearing up to host The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival. The event, which will take place Oct, 22-27, 2024, includes food tastings, cocktail parties and live entertainment.
Also symbolic of continued investment is this year’s reopening of the Queen’s Staircase, a historic landmark built in the 1790s that the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board has restored.
An Impressive New Cruise Port
Nassau’s beautifully reimagined cruise port, which debuted last year, is one of the most visible symbols of the destination’s rejuvenation. The impressive $300 million upgrade has resulted in a variety of new and improved features, including a 3,500-seat amphitheater, colorful shops, diverse dining venues and the new Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo, which is dedicated to the annual, UNESCO-recognized celebration that features music, dance and eye-catching costumes.
There is a new Junkanoo museum in the Bahamas.
Credit: 2024 Nassau Paradise Island Promotion BoardImproved facilities were important for a destination where the cruise segment continues to grow, according to Joy Jibrilu, CEO of the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board.
"The numbers coming in via cruise into Nassau are absolutely staggering,” she said. “Last year, 4.4 million passengers came in. This year, it's going to exceed 5 million. That’s a lot of people.”
The numbers coming in via cruise into Nassau are absolutely staggering.
According to Jibrilu, 90% of people visiting the Bahamas are cruise passengers. The challenge, she says, is that those visitors only make up about 10% of the destination’s tourism revenue.
"Therefore, for us, the focus and attention have to be on the stopover overnight visitor who’s driving this whole economy,” she said. “The average cruise passenger spends approximately $80. It's minimal. Just to put it in context, the average stopover visitor spends $2,000; that includes hotel stay, taxi, restaurants, etc.”
The Bahamas’ Biggest Selling Points
Many island destinations claim to have beautiful beaches, clear waters and friendly people. The Bahamas can certainly sell itself on those qualities, but it has some additional selling points, according to Jibrilu of the Promotion Board.
“The Bahamas has always benefited from its proximity to the U.S.; it's a competitive advantage,” she said. “We’re 2.5 hours from New York, three hours from Toronto.”
She also notes the fact that Nassau is one of the few destinations in the world to offer U.S. Customs and Immigration screening and clearance at its own airport.
“We’re also the only one in the Caribbean that can boast 700 islands and 2,000 keys — and each island is as different as the next,” Jibrilu said.
Responding to a question about safety and security, Jibrilu maintains that the destination has a strong focus on keeping visitors safe.
"Nassau and Paradise Island continue to be extraordinary destinations, with breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture and warm hospitality,” she said. “We want to reassure travelers that our destination remains ready to welcome visitors with confidence. It is essential for travelers to stay informed and make decisions based on accurate information, as the health and safety of our visitors are always paramount. As all types of travel, we recommend exercising care and discretion, just as one would do while visiting any new city."
Demand in the West
Another of the destination’s selling points is its air connectivity with western North America, which makes it much more accessible than most island destinations in the Caribbean. Nassau now has nonstop service to and from Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle and Calgary.
In fact, according to the Promotion Board, the top five markets in terms of visitation on its website include Los Angeles and Chicago — a fact that made it easier to attract nonstop service from the western U.S., according to Jibrilu.
"Our numbers are strong enough that they tell their own story as we go after new routes,” she said.
