The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) saw approximately 100 golfers tee off at the prestigious Ocean Club Golf Course for the BHTA's 16th annual golf tournament. Also, over 20 corporate sponsors donated almost $50,000 in cash and prizes in support of BHTA's workforce development initiatives and scholarship programs. The scholarships help to prepare and educate young Bahamians on the many options in the dynamic Bahamian tourism industry.
Corporate support came from quite a few business sectors in The Bahamas inclusive of hotel operators, restaurants, attractions, food and beverage distributors, travel and tour companies, financial institutions, marketing and promotional companies, insurance companies, and service operations. Sponsors provided cash donations, players fees, corporate prizes, and/or provision of products and promotional goodies for the golfers "trick or tee" bags.
This year, platinum and gold sponsors were able to "dress up their own hole" and golf carts, in keeping with the Halloween "trick or tee" theme. Sponsors set up emblazoned corporate tents, banners, flags and some had personnel giving away promotion items, beverages and products from the Sands Beer tent and the Heineken stand. Golfers played a "fidelity fun wheel" at the Fidelity tent, while the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) tantalized the players taste buds with Bahamian treats at their hole. Atlantis, Aquapure and Scotiabank all dressed up their respective holes, while companies such as the British Colonial Hilton, Milo B. Butler & Sons Distributors, Caribbean Bottling Co., Serena Williams Media and PR, PINOL - Bahamas Wholesale Agency, Sign-a-Rama, Graycliff, Cole Insurance, Resorts World Bimini, Leisure Tours, J.S. Johnson, Bahamas Food Services, KFC and D'Albenas filled players "trick or tee" bags with corporate products and paraphernalia or gave generous cash donations to the cause.
"The support from our local businesses was truly impressive. All industries supported the BHTA Golf Tournament," stated Stuart Bowe, president of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association. "The tournament set-up created a new standard for the future."
Suzanne Pattusch, executive vice president of the BHTA, stated: "We could not have done this without the support and participation of our amazing corporate sponsors, our golfers, and of course the BHTA staff, volunteers and golf committee members. Not only was the tournament a smashing success in terms of the support garnered, everyone had fun playing and participating. We fully expect next year to be even more dynamic; more entertaining."
Golfers were able to win a record number of amazing prizes. The winners of the tournament were Anthony Hinsey and Gerhard Burkes. They won two tickets each to the United States, courtesy of Bahamasair. Other prizes included hotel "stay-cations" to Atlantis, Treasure Cay, Pink Sands, Valentine's Resort and Marina, Comfort Suites, Melia, Pelican Bay, Pigeon Cay and Swains Cay. Attraction members such as Ardastra, Dolphin Encounters, Luciano's Restaurant, Duke Wells Photography and Mandara Spa were part of the prize packages. Albany Golf Club awarded another top team four complimentary rounds of golf on their championship course. The best dressed hole went to Sands Beer, and their representatives won tickets to the VIP Tent at the upcoming Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. The best dressed cart went to Fidelity Bank, and their representatives won family passes to Dolphin Encounters.
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