A better, stronger Bahamas; Grand Opening of the new Consulate General of Bahamas Office in Toronto

BY SIMONE J.SMITH

Tourism is the lifeblood of the Bahamas’ economy, and prior to COVID-19, it was enjoying historic rates of success. The work of economic recovery in the wake of a pandemic is not a task any developing nation can tackle alone, yet through strategic partnerships, Bahamas has rebuilt a better, stronger Bahamas.

In November 2021, the Bahamas registered an overall visitor count of 383,700, a number that’s inclusive of both air and cruise arrivals. That figure represented an increase of over 1,000% relative to November 2020. They also welcomed more than 802,500 stopover visitors between January and November 2021, up more than 84% compared to the same period in 2020, showing strong signs of traveler confidence and optimism.

The Bahamas has seen an increase of 223% in the first two months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. With Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing set to expand their service to The Bahamas this fall/winter with daily flights to Nassau and weekly flights to Exuma and Grand Bahama Island, Canadians will find the destination more accessible than ever.

They have continued on the same path and are well on their way to reinvigorating the tourism economy that’s the heart of the country.

It is why the news I bring next is not only historic, but highly influential.

Joined by dignitaries from both The Bahamas and Canada, the Honorable Philip E. Davis, Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, proudly presided over the Grand Opening of a new Consulate General in Toronto on Saturday, April 15^th, 2023. The new Consulate located at 2300 Yonge Street is the first ever established by The Bahamas in Canada and will be adjacent to The Bahamas Tourist Office.

A well-attended ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a robust slate of celebratory events, including a luncheon and Bahamian Diaspora reception. The ribbon cutting was earlier on in the day, but the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was invited to attend the luncheon.

The Honorable John H.W. Pinder II, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Investments, & Aviation, shared his pride,

“The wonderful reality is that The Bahamas has a strong presence in a country that is brimming with opportunities for channeling investments to our homeland. Canada has the ninth largest economy in the world. Unified in their efforts, the new Consulate General, in partnership with BTO Toronto, will prove to be a powerhouse in scoping out and bringing to fruition greater investment opportunities for our nation.”

The room was awash with delegates, media/press, and proud Bahamian community members. Some of the attending delegates from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) included:

• Newly appointed Consul General Al Dillette, empowered to oversee the Consulate’s mission to serve Canada’s strong Bahamian diaspora
• Latia Duncombe, Director General
• Paul Strachan, former Executive Director of Global Sales and newly appointed Executive Director of Global Communications
• Valery Brown-Alce, newly appointed Executive Director of Global Sales
• Steven Johnson, Director of Tourism, Canada & China

Over the course of the two-hour luncheon, the members of the delegation highlighted The Bahamas’ steadily growing tourism numbers, plans for future growth and innovation, the beauty and appeal of its 16 islands and the many reasons why The Bahamas continues to be a sought-after destination for Canadians. Among the most exciting announcements was the unveiling of a year-long 2023 calendar of events and festivities celebrating The Bahamas’ ’50th year of independence. Bahamians and prospective visitors are encouraged to view the calendar at https://celebrate-bahamas.com/.

Latia Duncombe said, “We are so pleased to have Canadians returning to The Bahamas.  In fact, in 2022, the Canadian repeat visitor rate stood at 54% – the highest of the major source countries for The Bahamas.  Canadians visit. They come back again and again, and many have made The Bahamas their second home.”

I had the opportunity to chat with Brenda Foreman (Consulat General to St. Kitts and Nevis), and she graciously introduced the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper to:

• Dawne Francois (Honorary Consul General of Grenada)
• Gustavo Oscar Infante (Consul General of Argentina)
• Eric A. Pierre (Consulat General of Haiti)
• Henry W. Mangal (Consul General of St. Lucia)
• Ann-Marie Layne (Consul General of Antigua and Barbuda)

All of which have exciting news to share with the community in the near future.

Oh wait! One more thing, I also happened to be sitting at the same table as Kodera Takya (Consul General of Japan in Toronto), and his wife Peggy, who turned out to be such a radiant energy.

Who knows; might have some news to report from Japan soon.