FEATURE BAHAMAS
BAHAMAS Top Selling Tips...
• Encourage them to trade up: "There are lots of five-star properties in the Bahamas that are perfect for upmarket couples looking for stylish sun, sea and sand"
country than its capital. In fact, almost 3,000 islands more if you count every piece of land that juts out from the sea. Only about 700 can claim to be islands and only 30 are inhabited, but each offers visitors a very different holiday experience. Nassau, on the island on Grand
M
"Clients go for the tropical weather – 20C to 30C degrees year- round, with barely any rain in winter"
Providence, has a cosmopolitan feel, with buzzing nightlife, international shops and the extravagant Atlantis Resort (see Room Report) on neighbouring Paradise Island; both perfect for a lively holiday. Grand Bahama, the second biggest
island, has fabulous properties and great beaches but is quieter, not so brash and more suited to customers who want the large resort hotel experience but without the bustle. The Out Islands, including the Abacos, Eleuthera and Exumas, are different again – peace personified, with lovely beaches, excellent scuba diving and intimate boutique properties: ideal for affluent folk who want to get away from it all.
Clockwise from left: Cooling off in the Atlantis Resort; Greg Norman golf course; Atlantis Resorts' Marina Village; Blue Lagoon Island; horse riding on Harbour Island
18 October 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Although part of the Caribbean, the Bahamas is actually in the Atlantic, some 650 miles off the east coast of Florida – which means it’s a favourite stop for
ention the Bahamas and most people think of Nassau, but there is a lot more to the
Vicky coopEr, Caribbean product development executive Virgin Holidays
• Suggest the Bahamas for winter sun: "The Bahamas is mild year-round, but the best time to visit is from mid- December to mid-April, when the temperature is comfortable but not too hot"
kATiE pArSonS, regional product manager, caribbean, Hayes & Jarvis
• offer an all-inclusive property: "For clients on a budget, suggest an all-inclusive resort, where meals and drinks are included, as well as activities and entertainment"
kATiE pArSonS, regional product manager, caribbean, Hayes & Jarvis
• Sell the fun-tastic attractions: "clients can swim with dolphins, visit a pirate’s museum, go sailing, snorkelling, feed sharks, or dive in a submarine. or just relax on a beach. There’s something for everyone in the Bahamas"
Vicky coopEr, Caribbean product development executive Virgin Holidays
cruise ships sailing from Miami (some 1.57 million cruise passengers visited in the first six months of this year) and for two-centre holidays with the US – and stretching as far as the south-eastern tip of Cuba. Clients go for the tropical weather –
20C to 30C degrees year-round, with barely any rain in winter – the fun activities, such as swimming with dolphins, the water park and open-air aquarium in Atlantis – but most of all they go to relax and enjoy the sandy beaches and sophisticated hotels. Golf is also a big attraction, with
seven professionally-designed courses for visitors to choose from, while active folk can go cycling (the islands are very flat) or horse riding. There’s also fishing, scuba diving and gamblers can dice with lady luck in one of the casinos. The islands have had a tough time during the economic crisis, due to the new Air Passenger Duty bands that have made travel to the Caribbean expensive, and the lack of airlift combined with pricey hotels. However, the tourist board is hoping
to turn around its fortunes by working harder to raise trade awareness of the islands. Agents should also be able to win bookings on the back of a wedding promotion lined up for next year.
ATLANTIS RESORTS
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