| The Free National Movement recognises that tourism is, and will remain, the engine of The Bahamas’ economy well into the future. For this reason focused and sustained attention has been given, over the past four and a half years to upgrading and enhancing our tourism product.
Today, only four and a half short years since
the nadir of Bahamas tourism, the run-down, unprofitable Government owned hotels have been divested and have been transformed into new, refurbished and upgraded resorts, operated by leaders in the international hotel business.
Below standard, privately-owned hotels have also undergone major renovation and development; two and three day work-weeks for hotel workers have been replaced by five and six day work-week; hotel occupancies have risen; room rates have risen; room revenue has increased; and new and additional jobs have been created.
New hotel rooms are being constructed for the first time since 1989, the increase expected to be more than 3,500 rooms. As a result, over the next five years as many as 10,000 new direct jobs in the hotel sector will be created. Additionally, by conservative estimate, 15,000 new spin-off jobs in the wider economy will result.
Resulting from the Free National Movement's policies, new direct air service from major European cities has been resumed, thereby assisting in diversification of the source market for a growing segment of Bahamas tourism. During 1996 The Bahamas registered an important increase in stop-over visitors, surpassing the number of cruise visitors for the first time in over a decade.
Simultaneously, the cruise industry has restored overnight cruise ship calls on Nassau. The development of new private ports-of-call in the Family Islands by high-end cruise companies, namely, Disney Cruise Lines and Holland America Lines, augurs well for our tourism industry.
Disney, scheduled to call on Nassau and
"Castaway Cay" (Gorda Cay), Abaco, four times per week beginning in 1998, will bring an additional 500,000 cruise passengers to Nassau and Abaco annually. And, Holland America, scheduled to call on Nassau and at "Half Moon Cay" at Little San Salvador will bring an additional 200,000 cruise passengers to The Bahamas annually, beginning in 1998.
By 1998, five major cruise lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines will all offer multi-cruise destination vacation packages within The Bahamas.
The increased local sourcing of fish, vegetables and other goods and services by major hotel operators such as Sun International, Marriott, Breezes and Sandals, and the commitment of major cruise lines calling on The Bahamas, such as Princess Cruise Lines, Holland America Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines, will significantly increase linkages with the local economy, thereby adding value to the tourism product and generating new jobs.
Today the Islands of The Bahamas are once again the destinations of choice for millions of upscale tourists from around the world. The Free National Movement confidently expects the number of stop-over visitors to The Bahamas to reach the two million mark by the year 2000.
The Free National Movement recognises that excessive paperwork and procedures entrenched in existing tourism related legislation mitigates against the timely maintenance and upgrade of Bahamian hotel properties. The Free National Movement also recognises that deficiencies in tourism incentive legislation serve as disincentives to investment in tourism-related facilities.
The Free National Movement further recognises that the "Time-Share" and "Vacation Club" concept is now an important feature of the tourism sector and a growing new segment of the tourism business in The Bahamas. Moreover, the Free National Movement recognises that this segment of the business is currently excluded from investment incentives.
The Free National Movement is convinced that increased benefits may be derived from the tourism sector by Bahamians if there was greater local value-added to the tourism product, and if Bahamians participated more widely in the ownership and operation of hotels, resorts and ancillary facilities.
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The Free National Movement is concerned that
over the decades, trained, experienced and competent Bahamian professionals in the hospitality industry have been denied the opportunities for career development enjoyed by foreign persons of similar qualifications and experience employed in the hotel sector of The Bahamas.
The Free National Movement is committed to working with existing and new entrants to The Bahamas hotel industry to maximise opportunities for career development for Bahamian professionals throughout the international hotel industry.
In a second term an FNM Government will:
Initiate a Tourism Management Cadet Corps programme to give promising Bahamian students an orientation in hotel management at an early age.
Mandate an increase in the employment of Bahamians in decision-making executive positions in the operation of hotel and resort properties by ensuring that hotels implement realistic and targeted training programmes and internships so that Bahamian professionals, identified for toplevel exposure, receive meaningful experiences with reasonable goals and objectives, in conformity with opportunities afforded overseas professional employees of the organisation.
Increase the Bahamian value-added component by ensuring the increased use of locally made products and by the local sourcing of goods by cruise ships calling on Bahamian ports.
Make available Crown Land, on concessionary terms, for the construction and operation of small resorts.
Amend the Hotel Encouragement Act so as to require the maximization of the use of Bahamian produced and/or sourced materials, services and products in the construction, outfitting and operation of all hotels and resorts; as a precondition to the grant of duty concessions.
Enable hotels in New Providence, with a minimum of 10 rooms, to become eligible for concessions for new construction and for renovations, as well, under the Hotels Encouragement Act.
Extend customs duty concessions on materials for refurbishment of Family Island hotels and guest houses with a minimum of five rooms.
Allow common real property tax waivers to all hotels in the Family Islands.
Permit hotels older than 20 years which have exhausted their eligibility for real property tax exemption and concessions, to be granted reductions in real property tax payments; provided such hotel properties undergo extensive renovation and refurbishment in or after their 20th year of operation.
Amend the Time-Share Act to include "Vacation Clubs" facilities whether they be part of an existing hotel or stand-alone facilities. Put in place strict regulations in respect of refunds of deposits on membership fees,
The Free National Movement is committed to working with existing and new entrants to The Bahamas hotel industry to maximise opportunities for career development for Bahamian professionals throughout the international hotel industry.
maintenance standards, and increases of maintenance fees by "Time Share" and "Vacation Club" operations.
Repeal The Bahamas Investment Incentive Act, and replace it with legislation to provide incentives and duty concessions for developers and operators of tourism facilities not connected to hotel rooms, for example, marinas and yacht basins, Bahamian style night clubs, recording studios, television and movie sound stages, environmental and historical theme parks and golf courses.
Reduce the stamp duty on the re-export of- temporary imports such as specialised construction plant for major projects, photographic, film, video and sound recording equipment and tapes, business machines and business materials imported for conferences, seminars and conventions.
Reduce the stamp tax payable on hotel non-consumable imports.
Encourage the registration of mega yachts in The Bahamas by reducing customs duty rates to make The Bahamas competitive with other yachting resort areas in the region.
Eliminate the requirement for the completion of formal agreements between a hotel owner/operator and the Government of The Bahamas before the developer can access concessions under the Hotels Encouragement Act.
Today the Islands of The Bahamas are once again the destinations of choice for millions of upscale tourists from around the world. The Free National Movement confidently expects the number of stop-over visitors to The Bahamas to reach the two million mark by the year 2000.
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