Destination News

What’s New In The Islands Of The Bahamas In March

NASSAU, Bahamas, March 8, 2021 – The Bahamas is setting its sights on a busy spring filled with romance, reopenings, awards and hot deals perfect for an extended-stay in The Bahamas. With new hotel reopenings in Nassau and Grand Bahama this month and plenty of savings, there is no better time to start planning a Bahamian getaway.

NEWS

Ministry of Tourism & Aviation Hosts Virtual Romance Expos – On March 10, the MOTA will bring together industry leaders, partners and vendors for an educational experience for consumer participants. From The Bahamas With Love will showcase the destination’s vast offerings for romantic escapes.

Resorts Reopening in Nassau – Baha Mar welcomes back guests to Rosewood and SLS on March 4 and opens a brand-new restaurant, Café Boulud, led by globally renowned Chef Daniel Boulud. Additionally, on March 31, Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort will reopen to travelers.

Resorts Reopening on Grand Bahama – The island of Grand Bahama welcomes back a beloved hotel on March 25 with the reopening of Lighthouse Pointe Hotel, an all-inclusive resort located in Freeport.

Recent Awards – The Bahamas’ Still Rockin’ campaign has won a bronze Adrian Award in this year’s integrated marketing category. In other exciting news, The Bahamas has been nominated for the World Golf Awards in the category of the Caribbean’s Best Golf Destination of 2021. Voting is now open and golfers are asked to vote for the very best in golf tourism.

Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center Introduces Ferry Inclusive Day Trips and Hotel Packages – Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center has partnered with Baleària Caribbean Fast Ferry to offer day trips and two-, four- and five-night hotel packages at Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina. The fast ferry departs from Port Everglades on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 9 a.m. and returns to Bimini at 6:30 p.m.

PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS

For a complete listing of deals and packages for The Bahamas, visit www.bahamas.com/deals-packages.

Atlantis Book Early and Save – Atlantis is offering savings of up to 20% on refundable rates when booking at least 30 days in advance.

Grand Isle Resort Extended-Stay Program – Extended-stay travelers can receive up to 50% off when booking a stay of 14 days or more at Grand Isle Resort & Spa in Exuma.

BTB Welcomes Vaccination of Tourism Sector

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE, Tuesday, March 2: As Belize’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign rolls out throughout the country, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is pleased to announce that frontline tourism stakeholders will be among those receiving the AstraZeneca Vaccine during the early stages of the campaign.

Belize’s vaccination campaign, which was launched yesterday by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, will be rolled out in five phases. The vaccination of the tourism sector will be carried out during the second phase, which will also include members of the National Assembly & Judiciary, teachers, police officers, and the staff of the Customs and Immigration departments.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness has indicated that it has initially started the campaign with 1,000 doses of the vaccine donated by the Government of Barbados. There are 25,000 more doses arriving in Belize over the weekend as a donation from the Government of India, while an additional 100,800 doses have been confirmed as part of Belize’s allocation under the COVAX vaccination program.

The availability of the Covid-19 vaccine in Belize signals a new era of hope for Belizeans, especially the tourism sector which has been the hardest hit by the pandemic. The vaccination of the tourism sector, in conjunction with the ongoing implementation of the Gold Standard Certification Program and the receipt of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) SafeTravels stamp will convey to the world that Belize is indeed a safe and viable tourism destination.

For questions or concerns, kindly contact the Belize Tourism Board at info@belizetourismboard.org.

Wilderness Explorers Launches Its First Women Only Guyana Tour

Wilderness Explorers is delighted to launch its first scheduled women only tour which has been timed to take place in Guyana over International Women’s Day in 2022, starting on the 4^{th –} 14^th March 2022.

This group tour has been designed for like-minded women travellers throughout the country, escorted by our local female guide and meeting some of the strong female personalities in Guyana today. Starting in Georgetown, we go on a culinary journey with Chef Delven Adams who will join us for a street-food breakfast before visiting the Guyana Store and market to choose ingredients for a delicious lunch with him at his eclectic Backyard Café, made famous by Gordon Ramsay in his Uncharted programme to Guyana. Other highlights in the capital include a city tour to a boutique jewellery store to browse stunning designs of Guyanese myths, wildlife and scenery, the chance to handfeed manatees in the city’s National Park and a welcome dinner and rum with some local female speakers who will share insights into modern day life in Guyana.

We then fly to the south of the country, stopping for a cooking lesson and farm-to-table lunch with a female ranch-owner, before continuing to Karanambu Ranch, former home of the late Diane McTurk, one of the great female pioneers of tourism and conservation in Guyana whose legacy still lives on today. Here we will have amazing wildlife experiences, going out on the river in search of giant river otters and sipping rum punch at dusk in the oxbow lakes as we watch the giant waterlilies open and nature explode around us. Also, we have the chance to see giant anteater before breakfast, go on wildlife trails and spend time with the local guides, talking about conservation and life on a ranch in the vast Rupununi savannahs.

On March 8^th, International Women’s Day, we journey by river and road to the award-winning community at Surama, stopping on the way for refreshments at a local roadside inn and visiting a local women’s co-operative as well as a local Amerindian community centre. In Surama you will experience Guyana through the eyes of a local, learning local cooking and handicraft skills as going out on the river in search of birds, monkeys and other wildlife. Here you will enjoy a cultural presentation given by some of the villagers on the life of the Macushi and have time to talk to some of the key women of the village. Travel deeper into the rainforest, stopping to look for the bright orange cock-of-the-rock birds, to Atta Rainforest Lodge, close to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway which offers unrivalled views of the forest. Set in a clearing and home to many wonderful animals and birds including hummingbirds that come to the gardens, Atta Rainforest Lodge has charming rooms, ensuite garden showers, wildlife trails and offers the ultimate immersive Guyanese rainforest experience.

Our last stop in the interior is Iwokrama Lodge, where we will go on boat-trips, walk trails and hear about the important conservation work done here from local female guides and conservationists. We will then board a flight to Kaieteur Falls, Guyana’s jewel in the crown, and enjoy the amazing views and scenery of this unknown waterfall, five times the height of Niagara Falls. We will reboard the plane to Georgetown for local drinks and snacks at the home of a local conservationist before our farewell dinner and departure the next day.

The cost is US$5520 rack rate excluding international air fares based on twin share, rack single supplement is US$ 288. Minimum of 4 people – maximum of 16.

Booking details are available at www.wilderness-explorers.com,

For more information on the tour, contact info@wilderness-explorers.com or call tel: +592 227 7698

For more information on Guyana as a visitor destination, please visit www.guyanatourism.com

International Women’s Day: Celebrating, Carla James

International Women’s Day is a day to reflect on progress made, call for change and celebrate acts of empowerment, courage and determination. For 2021, the theme of International Woman’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge and nowhere is this theme more prevalent than in the achievements of Carla James who in 2020 became the first indigenous women to assume the role of Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

Ms. James, who is a proud Akawaio and native of Kamarang Village in the Upper Mazaruni Region (Region 7), was unanimously identified as the superior and most suitable candidate following a rigorous selection process. The director’s appointment marks a pivotal moment in the near 20-year history of the Guyana Tourism Authority and has been celebrated by indigenous peoples and women of all ethnicities throughout Guyana.

Speaking at her appointment, Donald Sinclair, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Tourism Authority, stated: “Ms James is uniquely qualified to lead Destination Guyana as our new director of tourism. In her we have found a leader who is not only professionally well-versed in our destination and industry sector, but someone with tremendous national pride and heritage, both of which are essential components for strengthening our tourism strategy going forward. Her ascension to the role of director will also be a tremendous source of inspiration to many young women who now have proof that women of all ethnicities can shatter glass ceilings and go where previously they feared to tread.”

It should also be noted that Ms. James assumed leadership during what is easily the most severe and dynamic time for the global tourism industry – COVID-19 crisis. Thus far, she has led her team through the implementation of an industry recovery strategy and pivoting actions based on the constantly evolving travel climate. This has seen the implementation of the GTA’s ‘Safe for Travel’ scheme which has been designed to allow Guyana to reopen to international tourism while keeping the safety of both the traveller and indigenous communities front of mind. Earlier in the pandemic, the director spearheaded a project that supplied COVID-19 Support Packages that included Ecolab cleaning and sanitation products, infrared thermometers, PPE equipment and more, to indigenous communities.

“Our work plays a significant role in helping to protect our precious natural landscapes and wildlife and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly. During a time when community is needed most, I seek to continue to support my own by continuing to push Destination Guyana forward alongside our valued industry partners,” said James.