Cruise business in The Bahamas is stronger than ever and is showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
In an effort to diversify the country's tourism product, David Johnson, the director general at the Ministry of Tourism, said his team is planning on further expanding the sector throughout the Family Islands.
Johnson told Guardian Business tourism officials are in discussions with smaller communities throughout the Family Islands to find the right equipment that can diversify the tourism product.
"We are now pursuing the ability to begin to have itineraries that leave from The Bahamas and take people to the southern Bahamas. It's an avenue that we are presently exploring," according to Johnson.
"We are not there yet. We believe that we can be like the Greek Islands where persons fly into The Bahamas and cruise throughout the country in smaller cruise ships in a boutique product.
"But this idea has to also blend with the tourism product in those islands so that we are not bringing the wrong people to the wrong places at the wrong time.
"That's why right now we are working with the communities and the suppliers to find the right equipment that can bring diversification to our tourism base and have a high-end boutique cruise product that helps to put them on the map but keeps their environment pristine and not dumping 2,000 people where the population is less than 150."
The tourism director general said now is the time to tap into these markets as cruise tourism is expected to get even stronger within the next six months.
"We see no weakening in cruise arrivals. In fact, we finished with a record year with cruise arrivals into Nassau. We have plans by some of our major cruise lines to add even more capacity to The Bahamas. We have had up to seven ships in ports at one time," he revealed.
"However, we are finding some slots have been underutilized. Now, we are attracting ships for those days. Only two days were considered to be peak days, but that has since increased to about four to five days. So we are building up to optimum capacity."
Johnson also pointed out to Guardian Business that many Family Islands have been experiencing steady cruise ship business for years now.
"There are cruise ships going into the Family Islands. Abaco receives about 500,000 cruise passengers. We have a dedicated cay or destination called Castaway Cay featured by Disney cruise lines. Similarly in Cat Island and South Eleuthera has Half Moon Cay that has 300,000 cruise passengers.  That generates business for well over 150 people," Johnson shared.
"There are just under 200,000 passengers coming into Princess Cay. In the Rock Sound area, it's the biggest stimulant for tourism. The Berry Island' s economy centers around cruise tourism. They are home to two cruise ports. There is big cruise business in the out islands more than some countries to the south of us have."
However, Johnson said he is looking to potentially expand this area of tourism soon.

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