"Personally, I just don't feel comfortable about this, I envision accidents, pollution and a myriad of problems- Let us know your thoughts. Taste of Grand Bahama"
By Inderia Saunders ~ Guardian Business Reporter ~
A revolutionary 'Drive to The Bahamas' program may be launched as early as this summer, the director General for Tourism revealed yesterday, with the project expected to ferry countless visitors to Grand Bahama from Florida.
It's a spinoff benefit that has sailed its way into fruition through the recent move of the Celebration Cruise Line to Grand Bahama from Nassau.
"Since this cruise ship has the capacity to carry a large number of vehicles that can simply drive on and off the ship, we are exploring with them the opportunity for a "Drive to the Bahamas" thrust," Vernice Walkine told hundreds of business persons at yesterday's Grand Bahama Business Outlook. "[This] would allow visitors to truly explore the island and bring the kind of tourism benefits that American visitors have always given to Mexico and Canada when they drive across borders.
"None of our competitors enjoy such an advantage. Indeed, no other island in The Bahamas can enjoy such an advantage."
The government, she said, intended to work with all stakeholders, including the Freeport Harbour Company to make this happen in the shortest span of time. That's a launch period she later said could come as early as the summer.
That would be just in time for the peak travel season and would capitalize on the increasing number of North American visitors looking to drive to cut travel costs by driving to their vacation spots.
It's a move that has been done on that island before, Walkine admitted, moving to address some concerns that old issues with the car ferry and local transportation would resurface.
They have everything to do with the opportunities that would exist for local rental car companies and taxi drivers if visitors were allowed to bring their cars in with them to explore the island.
"It's an issue for Grand Bahamians to decide," Walkine said. "The people who bring their cars on board that vessel, we're talking about incremental visitors, people who otherwise might not have come.
"It's a different target segment we're trying to reach out to [like] the people from Canada – the snow birds who drive from Canada to Florida every year."
She also advised that negotiations have begun with Grand Bahama island's Florida cruise-ferry operators to launch its own version of its air counterpart 'Fly Free' program.
"That has the potential to literally blow away our Bahamas companion fly free with both passengers cruising free including all taxes when they purchase a three (3) night stay at a major resort like Our Lucaya," she added. "We are anxious to begin promoting such an'unbeatable' value- offer in the weeks ahead to reverse GBI's decline and boost its share of the tourism pie for those choosing South Florida as their points of departure."
