The upcoming 57th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the 31st AGM for the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) could have a tremendous impact on the Bahamian economy, while showcasing The Bahamas as a premiere destination for the hosting of international business meetings, conferences and conventions.
The Chief Operations Officer of the Local Organizing Committee, Lynden Maycock is optimistic that this major international event will produce a myriad of direct and spin-off opportunities in tourism, culture and other related sectors of the economy.
The Baha Mar Convention Center in The Bahamas will be the site for meetings, seminars and plenary sessions for the upcoming IDB-IIC Meetings.
"When we look at persons coming into The Bahamas, some 5,000 delegates are slated to be attending the conference. We have properties (benefitting) from the Island House near Lyford Cay, to the Melia, to SuperClubs Breezes, to Sunset Resort, to Atlantis to Sandals and Comfort Suites -- you will even find private individuals who will be renting their homes to accommodate a number of delegates that will be attending the conference here in The Bahamas,” Maycock said.
The IDB-IIC meetings are slated to be held in the capital city of Nassau, April 7-10, 2016. Both public and private sector delegates, as well as delegates representing the IDB's 48 member countries, are expected to attend. Finance Ministers from the various member countries serve as Governors on the Board of the IDB and will lead the delegations from their respective countries.
"The Bahamas certainly can, and looks forward to hosting large international events, as we have done numerous times before," Bradley Bosfield of the Groups Department of the Bahamas Tourism Center, The Ministry of Tourism, stated. "Event organizers are given personalized attention from professionally trained event coordinators."
Recent major international events successfully hosted in The Bahamas include the Financial and Insurance Certified Planners Association (FICPA) Convention, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) 2014/2015 World Relays, Ladies Professional Golf Association's (LPGA) Pure Silk Golf Tournament, and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Marketplace.
The Islands of The Bahamas feature celebrated world-class hotel and resort accommodations, with ample meeting and event spaces, many equipped with state-of-the-art technological equipment. Also, The Bahamas highlights its diversity of sites available outside of the traditional hotel settings for out-door events, inclusive of forts and heritage settings.
The Cultural Village will provide smaller vendors an opportunity to sell their native products. (Photos: Eric Rose/BIS)
The country’s proximity to the United States with less than an hour's flight from Florida and three hours or less from cities along the northeastern coast of the U.S. continues to make the destination attractive to international event planners. Several international airlines and the national carrier Bahamasair ensure that access is readily possible from major cities throughout the world.
As an archipelago of 700 islands and cays, The Bahamas offers a chance for international events to utilize different locations -- many of which are considered jewels in the region's crown.
Bosfield believes, event organizers are attracted to The Bahamas because of the multiple island experiences. “There is so much to see and do, with pre and post event opportunities to visit other island destinations, allowing visitors to experience and interact with our culture; learn of our diverse history and experience the pulse of The Bahamas," he added.
Maycock advised that delegates to the IDB-IIC AGM will also be exploring some of our Family Islands. "When you talk about the Exumas, persons have already booked to swim with the pigs. It's going to be a tremendous economic boost to The Bahamas and the event will be something that The Bahamas will be very proud of," he said.
Mr. Maycock also pointed out that the L.O.C is creating a special cultural village as one of the featured local attractions for delegates during the event. "We will have artisans and vendors. That will have a major impact on our local persons, who will be involved in selling their artwork, their craftwork and food," he said. "We intend to create an atmosphere, a cultural village that will benefit the entire group of persons who are involved in those industries. So we are looking at a tremendous boost to the economy, separate and apart from the delegates spending time in our restaurants, going to the straw market, etc."
The Bahamas will also benefit from international media from countries in the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. A number of media practitioners have already registered for the event, which should provide opportunities for additional exposure for The Bahamas as a premiere global tourism destination.
By Bahamas Information Services
