Island overview
Two things spring to mind when most Bahamians think of Inagua: flamingos and salt. While the industry and attraction may color public perception, Inagua brims with untapped potential in the growing field of ecotourism. With unrivalled biodiversity, virgin national parks and a burgeoning marina services component, Inagua may well have what it takes to live up to its reputation as the "best kept secret" in The Bahamas.

Nature guide services
Inagua has long served as the unquestioned birdwatching capital of The Bahamas, but Inaguans have yet to fully capitalize on their remarkable natural resources. The Inagua National Park, spanning over 220,000 acres, remains the world's largest breeding ground for West Indian flamingos and continues to draw visitors and dedicated birdwatchers from abroad. Aside from its famed flamingos, the park also supports nearly 150 species of birdlife and has been designated an Important Bird Area. This has further boosted the island's appeal in the eyes of birdwatching enthusiasts, who tend to spend far more than cruise ship passengers or the average stopover visitor.
Birdwatching is one of the most lucrative and rapidly growing branches of the tourism sector, with the local market having been recently bolstered by government support. As we have previously discussed in this column, the Ministry of Tourism launched a birdwatching initiative in January 2017 through the support of the Bahamas National Trust and the U.S.-based National Audubon Society, which trains Bahamians birdwatching guides throughout the Family Islands and provides a booking network for interested visitors.
Although the National Audubon Society has trained its first class of birdwatching guides, many remain employed in other agencies, leaving much room for growth for outdoor-oriented young Bahamians. At present, only two wardens from the Bahamas National Trust represent Inagua birdwatching tours on the Ministry of Tourism's website.

Port and marina services
Inagua is currently enjoying a massive overhaul of its port facilities as part of the government's $232 million Sandy Bottom Project, designed to modernize three port facilities across the country and help decentralize Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) operations. Through the project, Inagua will receive expanded harbor dredging at the Matthew Town public dock along with construction of warehouses, workshops and a new operations building for the defense force.
Despite being designed primarily for the RBDF, the newly dredged harbor and accompanying improvements to the dock at Matthew Town also offer opportunities for boating services catering to commercial and private vessels. Construction of the remaining facilities is expected to finish in roughly two months. Once completed, the revamped port will provide international yachters with access to a better equipped marina facility capable of hosting larger ships along with a convenient stop for clearing Bahamas Customs, which could lead to spinoff business for local restaurants and tour companies.

Ecotourism
Little Inagua, the largest uninhabited island in the wider Caribbean region, also boasts the Little Inagua National Park, spanning roughly 63,000 acres of pristine wetland and marine environments. Inagua's combined national parks offer access to rare protected species, including sea turtles, birdlife and wild donkeys that cannot be found elsewhere in the country. More certified guides and continued aggressive marketing could shine a much-deserved spotlight on the island's exceptional treasures.
Aside from the clear guide opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife tours, Inagua also has ample room for growth in businesses built around the wealth of resources below sea level. Deep sea fishing is viable around the island, despite much of the water surrounding Little Inagua being protected by the national park, with great potential for charter fishing services. Dive companies are similarly underexplored on the island and could diversify the excursions offered for those visitors looking for something other than birdwatching experiences.

Challenges and improvements
Inagua's lack of robust marketing is likely the main inhibitor to growth on the island. Although statistics from the Ministry of Tourism indicate that visitor arrivals have slowly increased over the last two years, growth remains anemic within the sector. Recent pushes by government agencies to promote flights to the Family Islands are a step in the right direction but Inagua's unique national parks and biodiversity are still underrepresented in international marketing.
Transportation is another challenge for the island. Bahamasair is the only carrier offering routine flights to the island, and even those are limited to three flights per week. However, the improved harbor facilities at Matthew Town could soften the impact of this disadvantage by drawing in more cruise visitors.
Furthermore, Inaguans should invest in training initiatives focused on improving the quality of services provided across the island as part of their efforts to modernize and address the island's aging service sector. New youth apprenticeship programs from some of the island's largest employers, such as Morton Salt, the RBDF and Bahamas Customs, could go a long way in improving the quality of services offered while keeping young Bahamians on the island. Competitive service quality is particularly needed within in the yachting and marina sector to keep yachters coming back to Inagua. A new world-class facility at Matthew Town is of little use if basic services, such as reliable fuel supply, are often difficult to provide.

Untapped potential
It is peculiar to see an island with such broad potential for ecotourism hindered by lack of proper promotion. One need only look at the massive boost in Exuma's tourism arrivals following the 'swimming pigs' marketing campaign to see how one unique attraction can draw big numbers if given sufficient advertising. As it stands presently, Inagua's unspoiled parks and existing businesses offer an environmentally friendly experience for visitors and biologists with exponential room for growth. However, business owners and investors must lay the groundwork now for a sustainable, low-impact tourism model to ensure that Inagua's treasures remain unharmed for future generations.

o Roderick A. Simms II is a director of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Confederation and chairperson of the Family Island division. He can be emailed at RASII@ME.com.

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