MIAMI, Fla. - More and more football fans from The Bahamas are taking advantage of the great deals being offered by Bahamasair, and are venturing on a Dolphins getaway weekend.
That was the consensus this past holiday weekend, as for the most part, Bahamasair flights were full going in and coming out of South Florida. The Miami Dolphins hosted the Green Bay Packers at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday, a game the Packers won 27-24 courtesy of a last minute game-winning drive from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Courtesy of Bahamasair, a number of Bahamians were in the stadium, watching the game live.
The national airline of The Bahamas is offering special packages for football fans interested in attending Dolphins home games this season, and so far, according to Bahamasair's Senior Manager of International Sales Woody Wilson, the response from the Bahamian public has been phenomenal.
"The promotion is really catching on, and we hope that it continues," said Wilson after the game on Sunday. "With this being a holiday weekend in particular, most of the flights were full, and that's a good sign. A lot of people, football fans who wanted to come over for the games, couldn't get on. It's a good problem to have. It shows us that the promotion is growing, and people are increasingly more interested in taking advantage of it."
With demand growing, fans are encouraged to book airline tickers early. Also, there is a possibility that airlift could be expanded into South Florida - to Miami and Fort Lauderdale - going into the Christmas season.
Currently, Bahamasair has two great packages available for Bahamian football fans. Interested persons can travel into South Florida the day of the game, or the evening before, for just $299 round-trip. That price also includes a rental car. Additionally, interested persons could travel in groups, getting five tickets at once, for $244 per ticket.
"This is a tremendous deal and tremendous savings when you look at the fact that tickets nowadays go for $300 to 400," said Wilson. "What we really want to do is to bring people over to the games, and also promote the destination of The Bahamas to visitors. So far, it's been going well, and we hope that it continues."
Michael "Big Mike" Smith, a regular to Dolphins home games over the past decade, said that it's through promotions such as the ones being offered by Bahamasair that makes the trek to South Florida so much easier.
"It's been 12 years now, and it's something that we can't see slowing down. We're season ticket holders, so we're here for every home game," said Smith. "When you look at the camaraderie, and the togetherness, this is just something that we enjoy doing. The game is the main attraction but the tailgating is like an added benefit. Hanging out with the guys, eating good food and enjoying the drinks, that's what it's all about. It's something that all football fans should experience.
"It's fun - just get away from the hustle and bustle of the Monday to Friday job and just come over on the weekend and enjoy yourself. With Bahamasair coming on-board, you get to travel at a great price, get rental car and accommodations one time, and then just enjoying the tailgating and the football game. It's a fantastic experience."
The Bahamas' Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board, is spearheading its own initiative, staging a "Bahama Night" at Sun Life Stadium in December, and Bahamasair is expected to partner with them in that venture, as well. This is the second straight year that the Ministry of Tourism is partnering with the Miami Dolphins. The "Bahama Night" is a promotion where the Ministry of Tourism will be reaching out to the Miami Dolphins fan base with a view of showcasing the islands of The Bahamas. A number of paraphernalia and trinkets are expected to be given away. The grand prize is expected to be a trip for two to Grand Bahama.
"That is expected to be grand," said Wilson. "It's really just about introducing the Miami Dolphins fan base to the islands of The Bahamas and showing them what The Bahamas has to offer. We're looking forward to that.
"Bahamasair is the national flag carrier of The Bahamas, so we want to create the synergy between what the national ministry of tourism is doing and what we're doing in terms of bringing people over. It's a win-win situation for both entities."
The Ministry of Tourism already has a pavilion set up at the 100 level of Sun Life Stadium - the home of the Dolphins. There, employees of the Ministry of Tourism's Sports Department Unit hand out brochures and pamphlets on The Bahamas, give away key chains and other small gifts to potential visitors and spread information about the Bahamian islands. The "Bahamas Bash" section of the stadium, as it is called, is well situated at the lower level of the stadium and is open to all.
Wilson said that what the Ministry of Tourism is doing falls right in line with what they at Bahamasair want to accomplish in terms of air travel for Bahamians and visitors alike.
For the locals at home, for this past weekend in particular, a getaway football weekend was up for grabs, courtesy of Bahamasair and Star 106.5FM. Callers into Star 106.5's early morning show were asked to predict the winner and final score of the Monday night National Football League (NFL) game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. Tristan Beneby emerged as the winner. For his efforts, he won airfare to South Florida for two, two tickets to the game between the Dolphins and the Packers, and a rental car for the weekend.
Tony Williams from Star 106.5FM said it was a great way for them to give back to their listeners.
"Bahamasair has been working with us for a number of years with a lot of promotions, and this particular Dolphins-Packers game promotion went very well," said Williams. "The response alone was tremendous, even from the ladies. A lot of ladies tried to win the prizes. It just goes to show that not only men are into football, but the women also. The enthusiasm is growing.
"We're looking forward to continue doing things like this with Bahamasair. It's an opportunity to give something back to our listeners, and Bahamasair has afforded us the opportunity to do that. People are always looking for something exciting to do, and as a radio station, we are always looking for exciting promotions to do. I think the promotion can be something that can last for a while," he added.
The special packages being offered by Bahamasair will be available for every Dolphins home game this season. The Dolphins' next home game will be Sunday, November 2, against the San Diego Chargers.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian