TourismToday

The Bahamas offers more opportunity to extract expenditure from cruise passengers than any other destination in the region, Minister of Tourism & Aviation Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said during the roof wetting ceremony staged for the new straw market on Wednesday.

Minister Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Public Works and Transport Neko Grant, and other cabinet members conducted the ceremonial wetting of the roof, which signifies the ability of roofing to withstand wind and moisture. Minister Vanderpool-Wallace emphasized the importance of continuing to increase the number of visitors to Nassau.

“When we look at the number of cruise visitors who come into the port of Nassau now, there is no other destination in this region that even comes close to what we estimate this year is going to be 2.4 million cruise passengers who come here in the port of Nassau,” he said.

Minister Vanderpool-Wallace pointed out that increased numbers alone are not the objective. Due to the implementation of the Cruise Ship Overnighting Act by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, cruise ships are not only bringing more people but their passengers are encouraged to spend more time on land. This is good for Bahamian businesses, he said.

“Cruise passengers spend more time on land in the port of Nassau than any place else in this entire region,” he said. “So the opportunity to sell, the opportunity to earn from the cruise passenger coming to the Bahamas is unequaled to anywhere in this region.”

Minister Vanderpool-Wallace also pointed out that there is a false notion that cruise ships and hotels on Paradise Island and Cable Beach want to keep their guests on their properties. Bahamas Hotel Association president Robert Sands and Kerzner International President George Markantonis attended the roof wetting ceremony. Minister Vanderpool-Wallace said their presence demonstrates their support of facilities outside of their properties.

Minister Neko Grant said the rebuilding of the straw market, which had burned to the ground on the same site in 2001, contributes to the government’s goal of revitalizing downtown Nassau. Already, the Ministry of Works has overseen the dredging of Nassau Harbour to accommodate calls from mega cruise ships and the repaving of downtown streets.

Construction of the $11.2 million straw market is progressing on schedule and within budget. When completed, the structure will total 37,000 square feet at ground level and 4,500 at mezzanine level. The structure will bring relief to straw vendors who have been housed under a tent since 2001, Minister Grant said.

Minister Grant said the new market will open with clear policies. Principal policies are:
Bahamian products only are to be sold.
The sale of counterfeit products will be prohibited.
Bahamian citizens only will be granted a license to operate as vendors
Rental charges that are consistent with the improved amenities offered at this facility are to be introduced.

“That is, the rent is expected to raise between $200 and $250 per month or $46 to $48 per week or a mere $6.50 to $8.20 per day,” Minister Grant said.

As the completion of the straw markets draws nearer, tourism officials are preparing to welcome another mega cruise ship that would provide more opportunities for downtown businesses. The Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, is scheduled to make her first call on Nassau on December 13.