The experienced team at Global Ports Holding, the world's largest independent cruise operator, sees lots of opportunity ahead for Bahamians businesses impacted by the cruise industry in spite of the variation of cruise passenger spending statistics that were recently published.

“We recognize the potential of the Nassau cruise port to benefit not only Nassau, but the Bahamas as a whole, boosting the entire economy,” said Emre Sayin, CEO of Global Ports Holding.
“For us, this project is not just about improving the port, but rather about how improving the port will serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the downtown core, rebranding Nassau as a destination, and bringing more people to the Bahamas.”

Sayin continued, “While the cruise passenger arrival experience and improvements to the facilities are major factors in the success in each of the 15 cruise ports that we currently operate, a big part of our job is also to support the people of each destination that we serve.

Currently, cruise lines prefer Nassau due to its proximity to major Florida ports. Our mission is to create a passenger demand-driven port from a convenience port."

"The Bahamas is one of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world. We want to help Bahamians to enhance that beauty, benefit from it and remind the world of it through creativity and innovation.

We want to establish a genuine partnership with the people of the Bahamas in this transformative process. The time is now.”

If successful in its cruise port bid, Global Ports Holding will collaborate with members of the business community, especially those downtown, toward achieving goals tied to the port redevelopment process.

These include getting more passengers to come off the ships and into Nassau; getting them to spend more money in the port; and driving more hotel visitors and Bahamians downtown to support Bahamian businesses there.

“In order for downtown Nassau to become a true city centre, we have to be strategic about its design, flow, function and operation,” added Sayin.

“We know that there are local organizations that have plans in the works to help make this happen.

We are very interested in partnering with all groups involved in this process and integrating the port to downtown Nassau This should be a world-class city centre, sharing its unique flavor with the everyone who lives and visits here.

The Bahamian people deserve it and we are the team that can make that happen. We have done it successfully around the world and can do it here too.”

This year, six cruise ports managed by Global Ports Holding have been named as some of the world’s top cruise destinations by Cruise Critic, a leading industry review website.

Barcelona, Malaga, Venice, Lisbon, Singapore, and Havana were each selected as a ‘Top-Rated Cruise Destination’ in the Cruise Critic 2018 Cruiser’s Choice Destination Awards program.

The winning destinations were selected by cruise passengers through the Cruise Critic website.

Global Ports Holding is the world’s largest independent cruise port operator, now operating 15 ports around the world.