Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced a $250 million development for Coco Cay during his visit this past Friday.  

The project is in collaboration with Royal Caribbean International (RCI), which Dr. Minnis indicated has an industry partner for some 50 years.  

The new development is set to feature the tallest water slide in North America, the largest wave pool in the Caribbean and helium balloons that take you 450 feet up in the air.

The Prime Minister said, “I am sure that the visitors to this Cay will have a memorable and enjoyable experience, with many of these visitors returning Coco Cay.

“I am pleased that RCI has pledged to have 400 Bahamians in its employ by the end of 2019.”, he added.   

There are approximately 150 Bahamians employed on the tiny   Cay.

Dr. Minnis also said that RCI has offered nearly 220 aboard ship positions to Bahamians. 

The company is also working on engaging with the local community. 

As the Prime Minister explained, for the past 15 years, residents of Bullock’s Harbour and Great Harbour Cay have attempted to build a community center.

 That center, said the Dr. Minnis, is set to become a reality by the end of July doubling as a hurricane shelter. 

He said, “as a country we must maximize and better monetize the benefits of cruise tourism for many more Bahamians. Bahamian businesses across the board and Bahamians in general must more greatly benefit from the millions of cruise passengers who visit The Bahamas.

 “This includes more Bahamian heritage and cultural experiences and products for cruise passengers on New Providence, Grand Bahama and throughout our archipelago,” he said.

Each year the country welcomes some 6.6 million visitors, and of that number, 70 per cent or approximately 4.5 million are cruise passengers – a reported 20 percent courtesy of RCI cruise ships.  

The company projects an annual increase in passengers to the Bahamas by two million by 2020.