"This calls for ensuring that businesses remain open longer… and we need to make sure that our people understand that if we are going to require more [of the industry], we too will have to give more," said Senator Frederick McAlpine. "We have to make sure that there is some cultural entertainment that people can identify with, souvenir stores must remain open for longer hours and even the [straw] market."
"I went to Aruba the other day and up to 10:00 p.m. we were still able to go into the market places to purchase souvenirs."
Senator McAlpine was debating amendments to the Cruise Ship Overnight Incentive Act, 1995, which were unanimously passed in the Senate Wednesday.
In addition to extending the hours of souvenir shops on Bay Street, Senator McAlpine said Bahamians, especially those working in the hospitality industry, must also improve their attitude toward tourists and should be more hospitable.
"We must ensure that when tourists come here they will always want to return. These tourists must understand the true meaning of ‘It’s Better in the Bahamas’ and they should be able to compare their trip to Jamaica, Cuba and other parts of the region and conclude that their experience in The Bahamas was different, unique and Bahamian," he said.
Senator McAlpine said Bahamians should be willing to prove that the country has more to offer than sun, sand, and sea and he said tourists should feel that their business is appreciated.
"This is a competitive industry and we in The Bahamas, through this amendment, have placed ourselves in a position where we will see millions more [cruise] visitors coming to our country," he said.
Amending the Cruise Ship Overnight Incentive Act allows the government to facilitate new agreements with major cruise lines, and encourage them to maintain and increase their delivery of cruise passengers to ports of call throughout The Bahamas.
While giving his contribution to the bill in the House of Assembly earlier this week, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham noted that his government is also pursuing a strategy to engage a major strategic cruise line partner, with respect to the development of a new cruise port on Grand Bahama.
Senator McAlpine lauded the government’s efforts in this regard and noted that such a move would attract more tourists to Grand Bahama and hopefully revive that island’s ailing economy.
"Our leader has also indicated that . . .we have decided to have a business partner help us in this venture and I think that is commendable, because if you have cruise partners participating in the building of this cruise port it means that this is an incentive for them to make sure that business is coming and they will make sure that they see a return on their investment," he said.
