NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), key private sector tourism stakeholders and representatives from ports of entry met with Minister of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis and other public sector partners to discuss potential collaborative opportunities to enhance the transportation experience within The Bahamas.
This initial meeting sought to set the foundation for further engagement with all related parties including public sector transportation professionals—specifically taxi drivers representative agencies and other private sector stakeholders—to work collectively to provide “top-of-class” service to visitors and locals who use taxi services.
“Taxi Drivers are tourism ambassadors; they are quite literally one of the first tourism professionals our guests meet when they arrive in The Bahamas,” stated Robert “Sandy” Sands, President of The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA).
“As the saying goes, you get one chance to make a great first impression; and last impressions are lasting impressions. Our taxi drivers set the tone for our visitor’s experience. Tourism-related business owners and operators, be it bellmen, front desk clerks; waiters, chefs, tour guides, boat captains, mixologists, artists, musicians; are all ensuing links in a lengthy chain of Bahamians our guests meet during their stay.
“It is this series of encounters that will forge indelible memories in the minds and hearts of our guests. Therefore it is integral we work together as interconnected links; to make our beautiful “chain of gold” as strong as possible,” Sands concluded.
The inaugural meet and greet offered The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association-led “Transportation Experience Working Committee” the opportunity to strategize in the hopes of producing better outcomes for those in the Tourism Industry in The Bahamas.
Coleby-Davis expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to meet with industry stakeholders and reaffirmed her Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the transportation sector.
Coleby-Davis said: “The transportation sector must evolve and the role taxi drivers play in enhancing the visitor experience is very important. The Ministry of Transport and Housing is considering a number of policy proposals to share with stakeholders – and to be clear, we welcome respectful feedback and collaboration, but the transportation industry must be revitalized and enhanced for the benefit of all Bahamians.”
The Minister of Transport and Housing also stated that the Government is committed to empowering Bahamians and views the strong tourist arrival numbers as a positive opportunity to deliver a top-class experience for all stakeholders.