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Tourism History in The Bahamas

 
An industry that had begun on a small scale during the 19th Century saw the growth in 1940’s. Hotels like the Royal Victoria and the New Colonial had rooms that needed to be filled; the greatest problem was getting or encouraging tourists to the islands. In 1869 British Army Surgeon, Major Bacot, pointed out that the climate and the healthiness of the Bahama Islands made them ideal for tourists, enticing elderly persons and persons with conditions such as Arthritis, Asthma and other illness which made living in colder climates difficult. However, the Acts that were previously passed in 1851, 1859, and 1879 to encourage the travel of tourists to The Bahamas by ships never really proved successful, as many sea disasters occurred.

Governor Robinson 1875 encouraged by the arrival of 500 tourists to Nassau suggested that The Bahamas make an effort to divert some of the 100,000 tourists, who were going annually to Florida. Making a step in the right direction, a most important hotel and steamship act was passed in 1898 and a ten year contract was signed with H.M. Flager, founding father and Czar of Miami, who also brought the Royal Victoria Hotel (See photo on the left). Purchasing the site of Fort Nassau, he built the Hotel Colonial, which was destroyed by fire in 1922. The Government repurchased the site, and signed a ten year lease with Bahamas Hotel Company, a Subsidiary of the Munroe Steamship Line, who in turn built and completed the New Colonial Hotel in 1922-1923, followed by The Montagu Hotel followed in 1927. The Munson Co., the Royal Mail Line, and a treaty with Canada in 1925, provided a weekly winter passenger and freight service and a fortnightly summer service to and from New York. There were other services from Halifax, Canada, Bermuda, Jamaica, British Honduras and England via Bermuda and frequent sailing from Miami to Nassau. Perhaps the most important development was the introduction of a daily air service between Miami and Nassau by Pan American Airways beginning in January, 1929. By the mid-1930s Nassau was well established as a resort, owing to its unrivaled winter climate, yachting, 'old-world atmosphere' and the government's aggressive policy towards 'selling' the Bahamas.

Today Tourism is a vital part of the Bahamian Economy; with Millions of dollars spent each year promoting Nassau, Freeport and the Family Islands, The Bahamas welcomes close to five million tourists each year. The Industry no longer target persons coming just to spend a vacation, but have set a focus on what is called “Tourism Niches” where specific industries are targeted; Eco-Tourism (popular in the Family Islands), Religious Tourism and Athletic Tourism, all of which have proven to be very lucrative. The Movie Industry which have been attracted to The Bahamas for years, filming such movies as “Jaws: The Revenge”, “Cocoon” and “Cocoon: the Return” and in the summer of 2005 the largest open-water tank in the western hemisphere was built on Grand Bahama Island to accommodate the making of “The Pirates of The Caribbean: Deadman’s Chest” Movie. The Tank measures approximately 640 ft by 400 ft and 30-ft deep. Another mega boost for the country came last year when it hosted the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant, when the entire world was focused on The Bahamas during the week’s long festivities leading up to the Pageant.