The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) this week, 7 September, hosted the first in a series of Global Sales and Marketing Missions at venues across Fort Lauderdale designed to further promote The Bahamas as a leading tourism destination and paved a path towards continued tourism recovery.

A delegation led by the Honourable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, participated in a lineup of productive meetings with key stakeholders from across the tourism industry, culminating in a culturally-inspired evening event at the Broward Center for The Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

During a tour of the newly named Little Bahamas of Coconut Grove, DPM Cooper was presented with a key to the City of Miami by Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson — a Bahamian descendent leading the charge to preserve the history and contribution of Bahamians, who were the city's first settlers.

Joined by destination representatives, hotel partners and BMOTIA executives, DPM Cooper and Acting Director General, Latia Duncombe,  hosted 150 sales representatives and industry partners and some 20 media and influencers at the evening event. Guests were transported to The Bahamas via picturesque digital displays of the beautiful Bahama islands, promotional videos highlighting the offerings of the 16 island destinations, a three-course sit down dinner featuring a Bahamian inspired menu, and an electrifying Junkanoo performance. A live Q+A panel highlighted The Bahamas' steadily growing tourism numbers for key industry leaders, sales and trade representatives, stakeholders and media in attendance.

"All of our markets are critical to our success as we strive to reach pre-pandemic tourism arrivals," said Duncombe.

"We have daily airlift coming from Florida and it's extremely important for us to show how easy it is to get to and through the islands of The Bahamas. Whether it's boating fishing, diving, or the MICE market, there are significant opportunities here in Florida — just 50 miles away. We are reengaging our trade and media partners as part of our strategy to double stopover visitors across our 16 island destinations.

"We know it's not always possible for key industry sales and media representatives to visit our beautiful islands -- so it is important for us to bring a taste of The Bahamas directly to them to ensure the destination remains top of mind in a very competitive landscape."

The series of events will continue onto Orlando, Florida, 8 Sept., followed by New York City, New York, later this month. Further stops in North America include Atlanta, Georgia; Houston, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Los Angeles, California, followed by cities across Canada.

In addition to major travel hubs throughout the U.S. and Canada, the delegation will be heading to Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates to bring a taste of Bahamian culture directly to key international markets across the globe to inspire travel to the destination.