NASSAU, Bahamas -- In this archipelago nation of 700 islands, it's
a sure bet something's always going on, particularly in the Bahamas
tourism and hospitality sectors.
Millions of dollars are being spent across the island chain on
hotel construction, renovation and enhancements; transportation
improvements; and attractions development -- and officials are
crowing.
"The many new developments and expansion projects under way in
the Bahamas certainly demonstrate that the tourism product here
continues to improve," said Vernice Walkine, deputy director
general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. "We offer quantity and,
importantly, quality for vacationers, whether they are looking for
soft adventure or luxury."
A regional roundup of the latest tourism developments and
initiatives in the Bahamas follows:
Grand new Bahama?
It's getting easier to get to, and more pleasant to stay on, the
ever-popular Grand Bahama Island.
A few properties have emptied their purses on spruce-up
efforts.
For example, Viva Fortuna Beach is undergoing a $1 million
expansion scheduled for completion in January.
Highlights coming on line include a Kids' Club and children's
pool, and a Jacuzzi and beach bar (with a patio for dining). Also,
general improvements are being made to resort exteriors and the
grounds. For more information, visit www.vivaresorts.com online.
Meanwhile, Old Bahama Bay is fine-tuning its hospitality and
gastronomy offerings with the debut of new guest quarters and a
high-end restaurant.
New British colonial-style buildings will house 12 Beachcomber
junior suites and four two-bedroom Grand Bay suites set to join the
room inventory this autumn.
And new on-site eatery Aqua -- featuring fusion Caribbean, Asian
and French cuisine -opened this month under the direction of chef
Skye McDougall, of Miami Beach fame. For more, visit www.oldbahamabay.com online.
On the transportation front, work continues apace on some $30
million in renovations at the island's international airport, which
will result in a new terminal and U.S. preclearance facility by
January.
In other airport news, Delta Connection launched service to the
facility from Atlanta this month, with Continental set to do the
same from Newark starting Dec. 17.
Travel agents with aerophobic clients, take note: New ferry
operator Bahamas Florida Express -- set to launch high-speed
service between the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. area and Grand Bahama on
Nov. 1 -- unveiled both its agent commission structure and an
Internet site at www.ferrybahamas.com.
Travel agents will receive 12% commission on both passenger
seats and packages. Commission will jump to 15% after 10
bookings.
Agents who register as partners online at www.ferrybahamas.com can book and earn commission on
Web-only deals such as the introductory online roundtrip fare of
$109 per person (plus port charges and taxes) available for 680
tourist-class seats from Nov. 1 to Dec. 21.
The firm said it will designate Tuesdays as FunDays, with
roundtrip fares on trips -- which take two hours each way by
900-passenger, high-speed ferry -- as low as $99.
Bahamas Florida Express peddles resort packages, including
roundtrip transportation and accommodations, at a choice of seven
Grand Bahama hotels, priced from $177 per person (double occupancy)
for one night and $199 for two nights.
For more information, call (866) 313-3779 or visit www.ferrybahamas.com.
Nassau is Paradise
Grand Bahama is not the only island with maritime transport
news: Bahamas Ferries has set sail with direct Seawind service from
Nassau to Abaco in the Out -- or Family -- Islands.
The locally run company announced rate hikes -- due to service
investments -- on routes to Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Exuma,
Governor's Harbour, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells.
Prices to Abaco are now $90 roundtrip or $60 one-way for adults;
$55 roundtrip or $30 one-way for kids age 4 to 11; $110 and $60,
respectively, for motorbikes with passengers; and from $300 and
$165 for passenger vehicles with one driver.
For more information, visit www.bahamasferries.com.
In other Nassau news, the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal
Palace Casino is in the thick of a $12 million retrofit.
Guest room renovations have been completed in two of the
resort's five towers, both the Flamingo Pool Bar and Grill and the
Black Angus Grill have been expanded, and the finishing touches
have been put on all cosmetic and landscaping alterations to the
public and pool areas.
To learn more about the resort, visit www.wyndham.com.
What's in on the Outs
Over on Great Exuma, the scheduled November opening of a Four
Seasons resort on Emerald Bay looks to be on track, although the
chain -- presumably taking no chances -- is confirming reservations
only for stays from Jan. 4 onward.
The high-end hostelry will feature 183 rooms and suites, each
with a private terrace or balcony facing Emerald Bay.
Planned in-room amenities a-la-Four Seasons include oversized
towels; bathroom phones; CD and DVD players; down pillows and duvet
comforters; hypoallergenic bath soap; irons and ironing boards; and
twice-daily housekeeping service.
In terms of facilities, the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma on
Emerald Bay will offer oceanfront and poolside dining; a
full-service, 16,430-square-foot spa, salon and health club with a
spa garden; a white-sand beach and two free-form pools; a tennis
club; water sports and fishing; and an 18-hole championship golf
course.
Visit www.fourseasons.com on the Web for details.
On Long Island -- the tropical one in the southern Bahamas, not
the New York suburb -- self-described boutique property Cape Santa
Maria Beach Resort announced plans to break ground on a resort
development, with a maximum of two buildings to be constructed
annually.
Villas will be designed to blend with existing colonial-style
resort structures and will feature access to all on-site
facilities, including the Santa Maria Beach House restaurant. For
more, visit www.capesantamaria.com.
And on secluded South Andros, the new Emerald Palms -- another
boutique property -- is opening in stages, with 22 one- and
two-bedroom clubhouse quarters and two of an eventual 22
stand-alone cottage villas now available for booking.
The resort is spread across more than 10 acres of coconut palm
groves near the town of Driggs Hill and sits astride three miles of
white-sand beach.
A Web site is planned after construction is complete; for
information in the interim, phone (242) 369-2713.
Visitors to Abaco will find the 1,500-acre Treasure Cay Hotel
Resort and Marina transformed: A two-year beautification effort has
resulted in upgraded meal service, ambience and accommodations.
Clients now can choose from two new room types in addition to
existing deluxe rooms and deluxe suites.
New "rooms" -- as they're simply and logically labeled --
feature two twin beds or one king for two people and are priced
from $140 to $170 per night.
And new two- and three-bedroom suites for families and groups of
up to six or eight, respectively, are priced from $230 to $385 per
night.
For dining, Treasure Cay now offers meal plans and has upgraded
the decor of its Coco Beach Bar and Grill. New meal-inclusive,
packaged stays include accommodations in a standard room for three
nights with MAP meal plan, from $357 per person, double
occupancy.
For more information , go to www.treasurecay.com.
Or for more information on the entire Bahamas island chain,
visit the tourism board Web site at www.bahamas.com.
To contact reporter Kenneth Kiesnoski, send e-mail to [email protected].