by John Kirk
Last updated: 5:40 AM ET, Wed July 10, 2024
Nassau Paradise Island is going from strength to strength as the leading destination in The Bahamas.
TravelPulse Canada’s John Kirk was on hand recently for the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board’s International Travel Partners Conference. The event revealed a destination on the rise, with a redeveloped cruise port, exciting hospitality developments and a foodie scene that is among the hottest anywhere on the planet.
“This is a complete destination,” says Kirk. “The beaches are incredible. There are world-class hotels and a long list of celebrity chef restaurants. There’s an energy here that just continues to increase.”
Latia Duncombe, Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas. (Photo Credit: John Kirk)
The International Partners Conference heard from speakers including Latia Duncombe, Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas, and Joy Jibrilu, Chief Executive Officer of the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board.
Duncombe shared that the Bahamas shattered all records last year with total foreign arrivals topping 9.65 million. The previous best was 7.2 million in 2019. And the destination continues to see record-breaking numbers, with January-April visitors up 12% from 2023’s record numbers.
The lobby of the sleek new Goldwynn Resort & Residences in Nassau. (Photo Credit: John Kirk)
Canada makes up about 9% of stopover arrivals to The Bahamas, making it the second-largest market for the archipelago. The U.S. accounts for nearly 85% of arrivals.
Jibrilu reported that in the first four months of 2024, Nassau Paradise Island welcomed 1.87 million combined sea and air visitors — a sizeable 13.2% jump compared the same period in 2023.
The British Colonial Hotel Nassau is looking great after a major reno. (Photo Credit: John Kirk)
Nassau has generated plenty buzz in recent years, much of it coming from the bubbling culinary scene. The destination has launched world-class food festivals and plays host to restaurants headed up by some of the world’s most renowned chefs, including Jose Andres, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, JJ Johnson and others.
TravelPulse Canada took in some of Nassau Paradise Island’s new developments during our visit, including the stunning new luxury residential resort Goldwynn on Cable Beach, the reimagined British Colonial in Nassau’s historic downtown, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, and the timeless Graycliff boutique hotel and restaurant.
Enrico and Anna Maria Garzaroli, proprietors of the unique Graycliff hotel and restaurant in Nassau. (Photo Credit: John Kirk)
“Just three hours from Toronto and other eastern Canadian source markets is a destination that has never been better,” says Kirk. “I’ve been going to Nassau Paradise Island for more than 30 years, and I’ve seen so many changes and evolutions during that time. But there’s an excitement here that is contagious – and the numbers back that up.”
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