Executives of Baha Mar met with China's ambassador to The Bahamas to discuss the potential for increased tourism between The Bahamas and China.
They looked at issues such as the development of airlift from mainland China and the raising of awareness among travel agents and consumers of what is involved in travel between the two countries.
Sarkis D. Izmirlian, Baha Mar's chairman and chief executive officer; Tom Dunlap, Baha Mar's president, and Robert D.L. Sands, the resort's senior vice president of administration and external relations, met recently with Yuan Guisen, ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
The discussion followed the announcement in December 2013 of a Bahamian-China visa accord, which allows mutual 30-day access to Bahamian and Chinese passport holders without requiring a visa.
"Our ties with China will be key in helping to diversify The Bahamas' global tourism base," Izmirlian said. "We're grateful for the Chinese government's ongoing efforts to further develop relations between our countries. It's particularly important to Baha Mar, which stands to benefit by providing a unique travel experience -- an authentic Bahamian resort offering the full complement of luxury accommodations, golf, casino gaming, spa treatments and access to one of the world's most beautiful beaches."
China's burgeoning middle class and its affluent citizens have become highly influential global travelers, buoyed by the country's recent economic growth. In 2012, Chinese surpassed U.S. and German citizens to become the world's top international tourism spenders, with 83 million people spending US$102 billion on worldwide travel, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). By 2015, 100 million Chinese are expected to travel abroad, the organization reported.
Chinese travelers have helped to make Macau and Singapore the world's fastest-growing gaming resort destinations. Macau's gaming revenues soared to US$46 billion in 2013, far surpassing the US$6.5 billion generated by Las Vegas Strip resorts, according to data from U.S. government and Wall Street sources.
Funded in part by the Export-Import Bank of China, Baha Mar is hoping it can draw some of these travelers to The Bahamas with features such as its Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, the centerpiece of the $3.5 billion Baha Mar development, that will offer a "Las Vegas-style" experience with 100,000 square feet of casino space, 1,500 slots and 150 table games.
Regulatory changes to gaming currently under consideration by Parliament would allow Baha Mar to offer many cutting-edge gaming amenities, including private VIP gaming salons; internet gaming; mobile gaming; in-play sports betting, and the newest and most popular slot machines.
By offering the full complement of luxury shopping, fine dining, nightlife, outdoor adventures, art and culture, Baha Mar believes it is designed to compete with the best the world has to offer.
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